Page:Poems of Nature and Life.djvu/91

 THE RANDALL FAMILY 83

g. When passions wild the soul enslave, Thou, Love, canst set us free ; Thy steadfast hands shall dig the grave Of cold Hypocrisy.

10. By thee the world was made, by thee All things around, above ; Thou rul'st o'er air, earth, fire, and sea ; Lo, God himself is Love.

��" Saturday, May 10. We got up late this morning, too, and after breakfast went out to take a walk in the woods. It was very hot, and I was glad to get under the trees, though it was harder walking than in the open spaces. Mr. Randall helped me get flowers, and, as we were com- ing home to-day, I wished to have a good bouquet to present to mother. I am sure my wish was gratified, for I had a very large nosegay, and a very pretty one, too. We walked a long way, and, as we were in the midst of a wood, we saw a large black-snake ! I forgot all my fatigue, and looked eagerly round for a stick, but Mr. Randall restrained me, saying that a black-snake will bite severely. I was so sorry when Mr. Randall, who was going to give him a quietus, was baulked by the snake's running off very fast. He was a monstrous fellow, and he, Mr. Ran- dall, called him five feet long. At last we went towards home, and, passing a murmuring brook, I quickly knelt down and drank a long time. 'Frank,' said Mr. Randall, ' wouldn't you like to go into the woods and take a bath .'' ' ' Yes, sir,' said I, ' I should very much, if you think that we should not take cold.' ' I don't think that we should, but do as you think best about it. If you are afraid to, I wouldn't.' So, after much consultation, we agreed to go down. We accordingly went, I leaving my bunch of

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