C.N. Douglas, comp. Forty Thousand Quotations: Prose and Poetical. 1917.

Margaret J. Preston

Her smile was prodigal of summery shine,—

Gaily persistent,—like a morn in June

That laughs away the clouds, and up and down

Goes making merry with the ripening grain,

That slowly ripples,—its bent head drooped down,

With golden secret of the sheathèd seed.

In the vale beneath the hill

The evening’s growing purple strengthens.

O Nature, gracious mother of us all,

Within thy bosom myriad secrets lie

Which thou surrenderest to the patient eye

That seeks and waits.

The pure memories given

To help our joy on earth, when earth is past,

Shall help our joy in heaven.

White as the blossoms which the almond tree,

Above its bald and leafless branches bears.

Whoso lives the holiest life

Is fittest far to die.

There is no to-morrow; though before our face the shadow named so stretches, we always fail to o’ertake it, hasten as we may.