The Masque Of The Months

Firstly thou, cliurl boii of Janus, Rough for cold, in drugget ciad, Corn'st with rack aud rhetira to pain us- Firstly nou, churl son of Janus. Caverned now is old Sylvanus; Numb and chili are maid and lad. Af ter thee thy dripping brothor; Dank his weeds arouud hini cling ; Mist his footeteps swathe and sinother- After thee thy dripping brother. Heart-set couples hush each other, Listening for the cry of spriug. Hark ! for March thereto doth f olio w, Blithe- a herald tabarded ; (Ver him flies the ehifting swallow - Hark ! for March thereto doth follow. Swift his horn, by holt and hollow, Wakes the flowers in winter dead. ThOH then, April, Iris' daughter, Born between the storm and sim ; Coy as nymph ere Pan hath caugkt her, Thou then, April, Irin' danghter, Now are light, and rusHing water ; Now are mirth and neBts begun. May the jocund cometh after, Month of all the loves (and mine); Month of mock and cuckoo-laughter, May the jocund conieth after. Beaks are gay on roof and rafter; Luckless lovers peak and pine. June the next, with roses scented, Languid from a slumbcr-spell ; June in shade of leafage tended- June the next, with roses gcented. Now her Itys, still lamented, Sings the mournful Philomel. Hot July thereafter rageth, Dog-star smitten, wild with heat; Fierce as pard the hunter cageth, Hot July thereafter ragoth. Traffic now no more engageth ; Tongues are still in Btall and streot. August next, with eider mellow, Laughs froni out the poppied corn Hook at back, a lusty fellow, August next, with eider mellow. Now in wains the Bheafage yellow 'Twiït the hedges slow is borne. Laden deep with f rui ty cluster, Theu September, r ie and hale; Bees about hi baBke 1 fluster, Laden deep with fruity oluster. Kkies have now a softer luster ; Barns resound to flap of fiail. fhou then, too, of woodiands lover, Dutsk October, berry-stained : Wailed about of parting plover, Thou then, too, of woodlauds lover. Fading now are copse and cover; Forests now are aere and waned. Next November, limping, battered, Blinded in a whirl of leaf ; Worn of want and travel-tattered, ríext November, limping, battfred. Now the goodly ships are ehattered, Far at sea, on rock and reef. Last of all, the ehrunk December Cowled lor age, in ashen gray ; Fading like a fading ember. Last of all. the shrunk December. Him regarding, men reuifmber Life and joy inustpass away. -Qood Words.