The blest angelic legion
Greeted its birth above,

And came on wings of love
From heaven's enchanting region,
Bending their winged way
To where the infant lay.

They spread their pinions o'er it, -

That little pearl which shone

With lustre all its own,

And then on high they bore it,
Where glory has its birth;

But left the shell on earth.

- From the Dutch of Dirk Smits

HOW THE GATES CAME AJAR.

'Twas whispered one morning in heaven
How the little child-angel May,
In the shade of the great, white portal,
Sat sorrowing night and day.
How she said to the stately warden

He of the key and bar

"O angel, sweet angel! I pray you,

Set the beautiful gates ajar,

Only a little, I pray you,

Set the beautiful gates ajar!

"I can hear my mother weeping;
She is lonely; she cannot see
A glimmer of light in the darkness,
Where the gates shut after me.
Oh! turn me the key, sweet angel,

The splendor will shine so far!" But the warden answered: "I dare not

Set the beautiful gates ajar,"

Spoke low and answered: "I dare not Set the beautiful gates ajar!"

Then rose up Mary the Blessed,

Sweet Mary, Mother of Christ : Her hand on the hand of the angel

She laid, and her touch sufficed;
Turned was the key in the portal,
Fell ringing the golden bar;
And lo! in the little child's fingers
Stood the beautiful gates ajar !
In the little child-angel's fingers
Stood the beautiful gates ajar !

"And this key, for further using,
To my blessed Son shall be given;"
Said Mary, Mother of Jesus-

Tenderest heart in heaven.
Now, never a sad-eyed mother
But may catch the glory afar ;
Since safe in the Lord Christ's bosom,
Are the keys of the gates ajar;
Close hid in the dear Christ's bosom,
And the gates forever ajar!

-From the Italian.

OUT OF DOORS.