The Argosy — page 121: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

106 AMONG THE DAISIES. Amona the daisies she nestled down, And, plucking one tiny bud, She peeped through her lashes of hazel brown At its beautiful crimson hood; And shaking the ant from its tiny head, She lifted it up to her lips, And whispered his name, with a cheek as red As the bloom on its fragrant tips. ‘*T love him more than you love the star That watches your dreams at night ; And his laughing presence is dearer far Than the dew to your chalice bright. Take care, take care that you never tell The folly I’ve whispered to you ! ”— And above its petals her kisses fell, Like the dripping of evening dew. *“T love! I love!’ and her voice grew bland | As the breeze from the gentle south; ; ““T love! I love!”’—but a strong brown hand | Was laid o’er her smiling mouth. | “You love; you love!’’—and the brown hand twined , ‘Through the beams of her sunny hair. ‘‘They love; they love!’ sang the tell-tale wind, Through the locks of the whispering pair. And the shy wee daisy was borne away From the fluttering girlish breast, And the rough smith smiled as it coyly lay In the crease of his open vest ; As though it were gracing the loveliest place In the forge where he gaily toiled, It smiled through the smoke, with its sweet round face, Till its leaves were all smeared and soiled. Up went his sledge with a right good will, Then down with a merry clang; Louder and louder, and louder still, As he whistled the tunes she sang; And he tossed his crisp locks, as he blithely cried, ‘“ How delightful this toiling will be When you, love, are tending our own ingleside, | And watching, my darling, for me. * * * * * A rush of wind—and the daisy lay, ’Mid the spoils on the smithy floor, Never to welcome the soft-eyed day, Or the song of the blackbird more! ‘Then the blacksmith lifted the faded thing, Saying, ‘** Little I thought that this, The most common flower of the field, could bring Such a vision of perfect bliss!” FANNY FORRESTER. comicbooks;com