Christina G. Rossetti .

A CHRISTMAS CAROL.

I.

In the bleak mid-winter

Frosty wind made moan;

Earth stood hard as iron,

Water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow,

Snow on snow,

In the bleak mid-winter

Long ago.

II.

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him

Nor earth sustain,

Heaven and earth shall flee away

When He comes to reign:

In the bleak mid-winter

A stable-place sufficed

The Lord God Almighty

Jesus Christ.

III.

Enough for Him whom Cherubim

Worship night and day,

A breastful of milk

And a mangerful of hay;

Enough for Him whom Angels

Fall down before,

The ox and ass and camel

Which adore.

IV.

Angels and Archangels

May have gathered there,
Cherubim and Seraphim
Thronged the air;

But only His Mother

In her maiden bliss
Worshiped the Beloved
With a kiss.

V.

What can I give Him,

Poor as I am?—

If I were a Shepherd

I would bring Him a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man

I would do my part,—

Yet what I can I give Him,-
Give my heart.

AN APPLE GATHERING.

I plucked pink blossoms from mine apple-tree,

And wore them all that evening in my hair; Then in due season when I went to see

I found no apples there.

With dangling basket all along the grass

As I had come I went the self-same track: My neighbors mocked me while they saw me pass So empty-handed back.

Lillian and Lillias smiled in trudging by,

Their heaped-up basket teased me like a jeer; Sweet-voiced they sang beneath the sunset sky, Their mother's home was near.

Plump Gertrude passed me with her basket full,
A stronger hand than hers helped it along;
A voice talked with her through the shadows cool
More sweet to me than song.

Ah Willie, Willie, was my love less worth

Than apples with their green leaves piled above, I counted rosiest apples on the earth

Of far less worth than love.

So once it was with me you stooped to talk,
Laughing and listening in this very lane:
To think that by this way we used to walk
We shall not walk again!

I let my neighbors pass me, ones and twos
And groups; the latest said the night grew chill,
And hastened; but I loitered, while the dews

Fell fast I loitered still.

"NO, THANK YOU, JOHN.”

I never said I loved you, John:

Why will you tease me day by day,
And wax a weariness to think upon

With always "do" and "pray"?

You know I never loved you, John,

No fault of mine made me your toast:
Why will you haunt me with a face as wan
As shows an hour-old ghost?

I dare say Meg or Moll would take
Pity upon you, if you'd ask:

And pray don't remain single for my sake,
Who can't perform that task.

I have no heart?-Perhaps I have not;
But then you're mad to take offence
That I don't give you what I have not got:

Use your own common sense.

Let by-gones be by-gones:

Don't call me false who owed not to be true:

I'd rather answer "No" to fifty Johns

Than answer "Yes" to you.

Let's mar our pleasant days no more,
Song-birds of passage, days of youth:
Catch at to-day, forget the days before:
I'll wink at your untruth.

Let us strike hands as hearty friends;

No more, no less; and friendship's good. Only don't keep in view ulterior ends,

And points not understood

In open treaty. Rise above

Quibbles and shuffling off and on :

Here's friendship for you if you like; but love,— No, thank you, John.

JESSIE CAMERON.

"Jessie, Jessie Cameron,

Hear me but this once," quoth he. "Good luck go with you, neighbor's son, But I'm no mate for you," quoth she.

Day was verging toward the night
There beside the moaning sea,
Dimness overtook the light

There where the breakers be.

"Oh Jessie, Jessie Cameron,

I have loved you long and true." "Good luck go with you, neighbor's son, But I'm no mate for you."

She was a careless, fearless girl,
And made her answer plain;
Outspoken she to earl or churl,
Kind-hearted in the main,

But somewhat heedless with her tongue
And apt at causing pain;

A mirthful maiden she and young,

Most fair for bliss or bane.

"O, long ago I told you so,

I tell you so to-day:

Go you your way, and let me go
Just my own free way."

The sea swept in with moan and foam, Quickening the stretch of sand; They stood almost in sight of home; He strove to take her hand. "O, can't you take your answer then, And won't you understand? For me you're not the man of men, I've other plans are planned. You're good for Madge, or good for Cis, Or good for Kate, may-be:

But what's to me the good of this

While you're not good for me?”