Softly stole the wind away, Tenderly he murmured, "Stay!"

To a late thrush on the wing, "Stay with her one day and sing!"

Sang the thrush so sweet and clear That the sun came out to hear, And, in answer to her song, Beamed on violet all day long.

--OLIVER HERFORD.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Violet, little violet, Brave and true and sweet thou art.

--ANONYMOUS.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"All nature mourns," I said; "November wild Hath torn the fairest pages from her book."

But suddenly a wild bird overhead Poured forth a strain so strangely clear and sweet, It seemed to bring me back the skies of May, And wake the sleeping violets at my feet.

Then long I pondered o'er the poet's words, "The loss of beauty is not always loss,"

Till like the voice of love they soothed my pain, And gave me strength to bear again my cross.

--ALBERT LAIGHTON.

The violet's gone, The first-born child of the early sun; With us she is but a winter's flower, The snow on the hills cannot blast her bower, And she lifts up her dewy eye of blue To the youngest sky of the self-same hue.

--LORD BYRON.

I picked thee violets Upon a morn when the white mist Went trailing down the leas and made A gauzy scarf to twine and twist About the feet of the blue hills.

--MARY F. FAXON.

Between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s that never yet felt trouble A bunch of violets full-blown and double Serenely sleep.

--JOHN KEATS.

Sweetest Echo, sweetest nymph, that liv'st unseen Within thy aery sh.e.l.l, By slow Meander's argent green, And in the violet-embroidered vale.

--JOHN MILTON.

Even the tiny violet can make Her little circle sweet as love.

--GRACE GREENWOOD.

And Helen breathed the scent of violets, blown Along the bosky sh.o.r.es.

--BAYARD TAYLOR.

There her head the golden lily rears, The soft-eyed violet sheds her odorous tears.

--NICHOLAS MITCh.e.l.l.

I used to go and watch them, Both night and morning, too:-- It was my tears, I fancy, That kept the violets blue.

--ADELAIDE PROCTOR.

My girl hath violet eyes and yellow hair, A soft hand, like a lady's, soft and fair, A sweet face pouting in a white straw bonnet, A tiny foot, and little boot upon it.

--ROBERT BUCHANAN.

Here the first violets Perhaps will bud unseen, And a dove, maybe, Return to nestle here.

--CHRISTINA ROSSETTI.

Gold violets, bright violets, The sparkling dew at sunrise wets, And doth with nectar overbrim; l.u.s.tre no cloudy day can dim; The golden sun doth shine upon And call his children rare; The yellow-bird hath sometimes stirred Drawn downward unaware.

--EMILY S. OAKEY.

Lay her in lilies and in violets.

--EDMUND SPENSER.

The violet's blue, The rose bloom's red,--and friends are tried and true; The blossoms on the boughs are white in spring, The wind is soft, the birds spread joyous wing, And soar and wheel in the blue sky, and sing, Because--because I love you.

--FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT.

In languid luxury soft she glides Encircled by the azure tides, Like some fair lily, faint with weeping, Upon a bed of violets sleeping.

--THOMAS MOORE.

E'en now what affection the violet awakes; What loved little islands, twice seen in their lakes, Can the wild water-lily restore!

--THOMAS CAMPBELL.

Then by the enchantress Fancy led, On violet banks I lay my head.

--JAMES MONTGOMERY.

The air is sweet with violets running wild 'Mid broken friezes and fallen capitals.

--SAMUEL ROGERS.

Mistress violet, mistress violet, I want your tender and true eyes!