verdant behind and on either side of her. Wher
ever she set hei blessed foot, there was at once
a dewy flower. The violets gushed up along
the wayside. The grass and the grain began to
sprout with tenfold vigor and luxuriance, to
make up for the dreary months that had been
wasted in barrenness. The starved cattle imme-
diately set to work grazing, after their long fast,
and ate enormously, all day, and got up at mid-
night to eat more. But I can assure you it was
a busy time of year with the farmers, when they
found the summer coming upon them with such
a rush. Nor must I forget to say, that all the
birds in the whole world hopped about upon the
newly-blossoming trees, and sang together, in a
prodigious ecstasy of joy.

Mother Ceres had returned to her deserted
home, and was sitting disconsolately on the door-
step, with her torch burning in her hand. She
had been idly watching the flame for some mo-
ments past, when, all at once, it flickered and
went out.

"What does this mean?" thought she. "It
was an enchanted torch, and should have kept
burning till my child came back."

[[268]]

p267 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p268w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p269

v?