7 APRIL 1877, Page 16

AN APRIL PICTURE.

A BLACK-WALLED barn, with roof of sombre red ;

Within, a dusty, sunlit granary-floor ; On either side a widely-opened door Let in broad sunlight on the thresher's head,

And showed the cattle 'neath a neighb'ring shed.

Beyond the sunshine, piled in golden store,

Lay the clean grain ; while ever more and more

The empty straw, and the bright heap it made, O'ertopped the well-stacked sheaves of heavy wheat That in the sunlight close beside our feet Lay ready to the thresher's busy hand, Who in the midst with wilful-falling flail Beat a slow music they could understand To lazy barn-fowls seated on the rail. E. C. T.