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VIOLETS—WHITE OR BLUE?
Maybe the violets all were blue
When they in Eden’s garden grew.
Straight stood they, mirroring the skies,
Till they encountered Eve’s sweet eyes;
When, owning her more beauteous far
Than bending sky or flashing star,
They bowed in homage, sweet to sweet,
And bent to kiss her fair white feet;
But paled with fear as thro’ the grass
They saw the slimy serpent pass !
Or maybe, once when years were young, the
violets all were white,
Till the angel of the flowers came down in
morning’s glowing light,
To gather him a garland of the fairest
flowers of all;
And he chose the wee white flowers clustered
near a garden wall.
“My sweetest ones, the Master calls for you
this sunny morn,
One of HiB many palaces in glory to adorn."
But, shrinking 'neath their tender leaves,
they answered modestly,
“Nay, surely, angel, there are flowers more
beautiful than wo.”
But tenderly the angel raised each humble
drooping head,
