The Project Gutenberg eBook of All That Matters, by Edgar A. Guest

This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at https://www.gutenberg.org/license. If you are not located in the United States, you’ll have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: All That Matters

Author: Edgar A. Guest

Release Date: May 21, 2009 [EBook #28903]

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Diane Monico, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ***

All That Matters

by

EDGAR A. GUEST

With Pictures

by

W. T. BENDA           M. L. BOWER

F. X. LEYENDECKER

F. C. YOHN              H. C. PITZ

ROBERT E. JOHNSTON

HARVEY EMRICH

PRUETT CARTER

THE REILLY & LEE CO.

Chicago

Printed in the United States of America

Copyright, 1922

by

THE REILLY & LEE CO.

All Rights Reserved

Illustrations Copyrighted, 1920, 1921, 1922

by The International Magazine Company

and reproduced by special

arrangement with

the Cosmopolitan Magazine

Second Printing—August, 1922

Third Printing—October, 1922

All That Matters

"All That Matters"

From a painting by FRANK X. LEYENDECKER.

INDEX

- Poem Page

- Accomplished Care 66

- Afraid of His Dad 94

- All That Matters 9

- Boy and His Dad, A 36

- Boy's Ideal, The 30

- Bread and Gravy 38

- Bulb Planting Time 67

- Call, The 11

- Clinching the Bolt 50

- Common Touch, The 32

- Denial 72

- Effort 86

- Example 53

- Family Doctor, The 70

- Forgetful Pa 18

- Frosting Dish, The 24

- God Made This Day For Me 16

- Grate Fire, The 40

- Harder Part, The 62

- His Other Chance 68

- His Pa 52

- Homely Man, The 76

- Joys We Miss, The 44

- Just Half of That, Please 31

- Just Like a Man 48

- Kindly Neighbor, The 42

- Life 80

- Little Feet 46

- Living 88

- Lonely Old Fellow, The 82

- Marjorie 33

- Mother and the Baby 12

- Motherhood 20

- Need, The 56

- Newspaper Man, The 34

- Old-Fashioned Letters 14

- One In Ten, The 91

- Play the Game 26

- Playing For Keeps 22

- Service 96

- Somebody Else 84

- Success 81

- Tears Expressive, The 43

- Ten-Fingered Mice 58

- Things They Mustn't Touch, The 60

- To a Young Man 92

- Unchangeable Mother 78

- Until She Died 10

- Warm House and a Ruddy Fire, A 90

- When the Young are Grown 28

- Winding the Clock 54

- Workman's Dream, The 74

- Youth 64

"All That Matters"

Is Dedicated

To My Wife

Who Is

All To Me

E. A. G.

ALL THAT MATTERS

When all that matters shall be written down

And the long record of our years is told,

Where sham, like flesh, must perish and grow cold;

When the tomb closes on our fair renown

And priest and layman, sage and motleyed clown

Must quit the places which they dearly hold,

What to our credit shall we find enscrolled?

And what shall be the jewels of our crown?

I fancy we shall hear to our surprise

Some little deeds of kindness, long forgot,

Telling our glory, and the brave and wise

Deeds which we boasted often, mentioned not.

God gave us life not just to buy and sell,

And all that matters is to live it well.

UNTIL SHE DIED

Until she died we never knew

The beauty of our faith in God.

We'd seen the summer roses nod

And wither as the tempests blew,

Through many a spring we'd lived to see

The buds returning to the tree.

We had not felt the touch of woe;

What cares had come, had lightly flown;

Our burdens we had borne alone—

The need of God we did not know.

It seemed sufficient through the days

To think and act in worldly ways.

And then she closed her eyes in sleep;

She left us for a little while;

No more our lives would know her smile.

And oh, the hurt of it went deep!

It seemed to us that we must fall

Before the anguish of it all.

Our faith, which had not known the test,

Then blossomed with its comfort sweet,

Promised that some day we should meet

And whispered to us: "He knows best."

And when our bitter tears were dried,

We found our faith was glorified.

THE CALL

I must get out to the woods again, to the whispering tree, and the birds a-wing,

Away from the haunts of pale-faced men, to the spaces wide where strength is king;

I must get out where the skies are blue and the air is clean and the rest is sweet,

Out where there's never a task to do or a goal to reach or a foe to meet.

I must get out on the trails once more that wind through shadowy haunts and cool,

Away from the presence of wall and door, and see myself in a crystal pool;

I must get out with the silent things, where neither laughter nor hate is heard,

Where malice never the humblest stings and no one is hurt by a spoken word.

Oh, I've heard the call of the tall white pine, and heard the call of the running brook;

I'm tired of the tasks which each day are mine, I'm weary of reading a printed book;

I want to get out of the din and strife, the clang and clamor of turning wheel,

And walk for a day where life is life, and the joys are true and the pictures real.

MOTHER AND THE BABY

Mother and the baby! Oh, I know no lovelier pair,

For all the dreams of all the world are hovering 'round them there;

And be the baby in his cot or nestling in her arms,

The picture they present is one with never-fading charms.

Mother and the baby—and the mother's eye aglow

With joys that only mothers see and only mothers know!

And here is all there is to strife and all there is to fame,

And all that men have struggled for since first a baby came.

I never see this lovely pair nor hear the mother sing

The lullabies of babyhood, but I start wondering

How much of every man to-day the world thinks wise or brave

Is of the songs his mother sang and of the strength she gave.

"Mother And The Baby"

From a drawing by W. T. BENDA.

"Just like a mother!" Oh, to be so tender and so true,

No man has reached so high a plane with all he's dared to do.

And yet, I think she understands, with every step she takes

And every care that she bestows, it is the man she makes.

Mother and the baby! And in fancy I can see

Her life being given gladly to the man that is to be,

And from her strength and sacrifice and from her lullabies,

She dreams and hopes and nightly prays a strong man shall arise.

OLD-FASHIONED LETTERS

Old-fashioned letters! How good they were!

And nobody writes them now;

Never at all comes in the scrawl

On the written pages which told us all

The news of town and the folks we knew,

And what they had done or were going to do.

It seems we've forgotten how

To spend an hour with our pen in hand

To write in the language we understand.

Old-fashioned letters we used to get

And ponder each fond line o'er;

The glad words rolled like running gold,

As smoothly their tales of joy they told,

And our hearts beat fast with a keen delight

As we read the news they were pleased to write

And gathered the love they bore.

But few of the letters that come to-day

Are penned to us in the old-time way.

Old-fashioned letters that told us all

The tales of the far away;

Where they'd been and the folks they'd seen;

And better than any fine magazine

Was the writing too, for it bore the style

Of a simple heart and a sunny smile,

And was pure as the breath of May.

Some of them oft were damp with tears,

But those were the letters that lived for years.

Old-fashioned letters! How good they were!

And, oh, how we watched the mails;

But nobody writes of the quaint delights

Of the sunny days and the merry nights

Or tells us the things that we yearn to know—

That art passed out with the long ago,

And lost are the simple tales;

Yet we all would happier be, I think,

If we'd spend more time with our pen and ink.

GOD MADE

THIS DAY FOR ME

Jes' the sort o' weather and jes' the sort o' sky

Which seem to suit my fancy, with the white clouds driftin' by

On a sea o' smooth blue water. Oh, I ain't an egotist,

With an "I" in all my thinkin', but I'm willin' to insist

That the Lord that made us humans an' the birds in every tree

Knows my special sort o' weather an' He made this day fer me.

This is jes' my style o' weather—sunshine floodin' all the place,

An' the breezes from the eastward blowin' gently on my face.

An' the woods chock-full o' singin' till you'd think birds never had

A single care to fret 'em or a grief to make 'em sad.

Oh, I settle down contented in the shadow of a tree,

An' tell myself right proudly that the day was made fer me.

"God Made This Day For Me"

From a painting by M. L. BOWER.

It's my day, sky an' sunshine, an' the temper o' the breeze.

Here's the weather I would fashion could I run things as I please—

Beauty dancin' all around me, music ringin' everywhere,

Like a weddin' celebration. Why, I've plumb fergot my care

An' the tasks I should be doin' fer the rainy days to be,

While I'm huggin' the delusion that God made this day fer me.

FORGETFUL PA

My Pa says that he used to be

A bright boy in geography;

An' when he went to school he knew

The rivers an' the mountains, too,

An' all the capitals of states

An' bound'ry lines an' all the dates

They joined the union. But last night

When I was studyin' to recite

I asked him if he would explain

The leading industries of Maine—

He thought an' thought an' thought a lot,

An' said, "I knew, but I've forgot."

My Pa says when he was in school

He got a hundred as a rule;

An' grammar was a thing he knew

Becoz he paid attention to

His teacher, an' he learned the way

To write good English, an' to say

The proper things, an' I should be

As good a boy in school as he.

But once I asked him could he give

Me help with the infinitive—

He scratched his head and said: "Great Scott!

I used to know, but I've forgot."

My Pa says when he was a boy

Arithmetic was just a toy;

He learned his tables mighty fast

An' every term he always passed,

An' had good marks, an' teachers said:

"That youngster surely has a head."

But just the same I notice now

Most every time I ask him how

To find the common multiple,

He says, "That's most unusual!

Once I'd have told you on the spot,

But somehow, sonny, I've forgot."

I'm tellin' you just what is what,

My Pa's forgot an awful lot!

MOTHERHOOD

I wonder if he'll stop to think,

When the long years have traveled by,

Who heard his plea: "I want a drink!"

Who was the first to hear him cry?

I wonder if he will recall

The patience of her and the smile,

The kisses after every fall,

The love that lasted all the while?

I wonder, as I watch them there,

If he'll remember, when he's grown,

How came the silver in her hair

And why her loveliness has flown?

Yet thus my mother did for me,

Night after night and day by day,

For such a care I used to be,

As such a boy I used to play.

I know that I was always sure

Of tenderness at mother's knee,

That every hurt of mine she'd cure,

And every fault she'd fail to see.

But who recalls the tears she shed,

And all the wishes gratified,

The eager journeys to his bed,

The pleas which never she denied?

"Motherhood"

From a painting by ROBERT E. JOHNSTON.

I took for granted, just as he,

The boundless love that mother gives,

But watching them I've come to see

Time teaches every man who lives

How much of him is not his own;

And now I know the countless ways

By which her love for me was shown,

And I recall forgotten days.

Perhaps some day a little chap

As like him as he's now like me,

Shall climb into his mother's lap,

For comfort and for sympathy,

And he shall know what now I know,

And see through eyes a trifle dim,

The mother of the long ago

Who daily spent her strength for him.

PLAYING FOR KEEPS

I've watched him change from his bibs and things, from bonnets known as "cute,"

To little frocks, and later on I saw him don a suit;

And though it was of calico, those knickers gave him joy,

Until the day we all agreed 'twas time for corduroy.

I say I've seen the changes come, it seems with bounds and leaps,

But here's another just arrived—he's playing mibs for keeps!

The guide posts of his life fly by. The boy that is to-day,

To-morrow morning we may wake to find has gone away,

And in his place will be a lad we've never known before,

Older and wiser in his ways, and filled with new-found lore.

Now here's another boy to-day, counting his marble heaps

And proudly boasting to his dad he's playing mibs for keeps!

His mother doesn't like this change. She says it is a shame—

That since he plays with larger boys, he's bound to lose the game.

But little do I mind his loss; I'm more concerned to know

The way he acts the times when he must see his marbles go.

And oh, I hope he will not be the little boy who weeps

Too much when he has failed to win while playing mibs for keeps.

Playing for keeps! Another step toward manhood's broad estate!

This is what some term growing up, or destiny, or fate.

Yet from this game with marbles, played with youngsters on the street,

I hope will come a larger boy, too big to lie or cheat,

And by these mibs which from his clutch another madly sweeps,

I hope he'll learn the game of life which must be played for keeps.

THE FROSTING DISH

When I was just a little tad

Not more than eight or nine,

One special treat to make me glad

Was set apart as "mine."

On baking days she granted me

The small boy's dearest wish,

And when the cake was finished, she

Gave me the frosting dish.

I've eaten chocolate many ways,

I've had it hot and cold;

I've sampled it throughout my days

In every form it's sold.

And though I still am fond of it,

And hold its flavor sweet,

The icing dish, I still admit,

Remains the greatest treat.

Never has chocolate tasted so,

Nor brought to me such joy

As in those days of long ago

When I was but a boy,

And stood beside my mother fair,

Waiting the time when she

Would gently stoop to kiss me there

And hand the plate to me.

"The Frosting Dish"

From a painting by H. C. PITZ.

Now there's another in my place

Who stands where once I stood.

And watches with an upturned face

And waits for "something good."

And as she hands him spoon and plate

I chuckle low and wish

That I might be allowed to wait

To scrape the frosting dish.

PLAY THE GAME

When the umpire calls you out,

It's no use to stamp and shout,

Wildly kicking dust about—

Play the game!

And though his decision may

End your chances for the day,

Rallies often end that way—

Play the game!

When the umpire shouts: "Strike two!"

And the ball seems wide to you,

There is just one thing to do:

Play the game!

Keep your temper at the plate,

Grit your teeth and calmly wait,

For the next one may be straight

Play the game!

When you think the umpire's wrong,

Tell him so, but jog along;

Nothing's gained by language strong—

Play the game!

For his will must be obeyed

Wheresoever baseball's played,

Take his verdict as it's made—

Play the game!

Son of mine, beyond a doubt,

Fate shall often call you "out,"

But keep on, with courage stout—

Play the game!

In the battlefield of men

There'll come trying moments when

You shall lose the verdict—then

Play the game!

There's an umpire who shall say

You have missed your greatest play,

And shall dash your hopes away—

Play the game!

You must bow unto his will

Though your chance it seems to kill,

And you think he erred, but still

Play the game!

For the Great Umpire above

Sees what we see nothing of,

By His wisdom and His love—

Play the game!

Keep your faith in Him although

His grim verdicts hurt you so,

At His Will we come and go—

Play the game!

WHEN THE

YOUNG ARE GROWN

Once the house was lovely, but it's lonely here to-day,

For time has come an' stained its walls an' called the young away;

An' all that's left for mother an' for me till life is through

Is to sit an' tell each other what the children used to do.

We couldn't keep 'em always an' we knew it from the start;

We knew when they were babies that some day we'd have to part.

But the years go by so swiftly, an' the littlest one has flown,

An' there's only me an' mother now left here to live alone.

Oh, there's just one consolation, as we're sittin' here at night,

They've grown to men an' women, an' we brought 'em up all right;

We've watched 'em as we've loved 'em an' they're splendid, every one,

An' we feel the Lord won't blame us for the way our work was done.

"When The Young Are Grown"

From a painting by ROBERT E. JOHNSTON.

They're clean, an' kind an' honest, an' the world respects 'em, too;

That's the dream of parents always, an' our dreams have all come true.

So although the house is lonely an' sometimes our eyes grow wet,

We are proud of them an' happy an' we've nothing to regret.

THE BOY'S IDEAL

I must be fit for a child to play with,

Fit for a youngster to walk away with;

Fit for his trust and fit to be

Ready to take him upon my knee;

Whether I win or I lose my fight,

I must be fit for my boy at night.

I must be fit for a child to come to,

Speech there is that I must be dumb to;

I must be fit for his eyes to see,

He must find nothing of shame in me;

Whatever I make of myself, I must

Square to my boy's unfaltering trust.

I must be fit for a child to follow,

Scorning the places where loose men wallow;

Knowing how much he shall learn from me,

I must be fair as I'd have him be;

I must come home to him, day by day,

Clean as the morning I went away.

I must be fit for a child's glad greeting,

His are eyes that there is no cheating;

He must behold me in every test,

Not at my worst, but my very best;

He must be proud when my life is done

To have men know that he is my son.

JUST HALF OF THAT, PLEASE

Grandmother says when I pass her the cake:

"Just half of that, please."

If I serve her the tenderest portion of steak:

"Just half of that, please."

And be the dessert a rice pudding or pie,

As I pass Grandma's share she is sure to reply,

With the trace of a twinkle to light up her eye:

"Just half of that, please."

I've cut down her portions but still she tells me:

"Just half of that, please."

Though scarcely a mouthful of food she can see:

"Just half of that, please."

If I pass her the chocolates she breaks one in two,

There's nothing so small but a smaller will do,

And she says, perhaps fearing she's taking from you:

"Just half of that, please."

When at last Grandma leaves us the angels will hear:

"Just half of that, please."

When with joys for the gentle and brave they appear:

"Just half of that, please."

And for fear they may think she is selfish up there,

Or is taking what may be a young angel's share,

She will say with the loveliest smile she can wear:

"Just half of that, please."

THE COMMON TOUCH

I would not be too wise—so very wise

That I must sneer at simple songs and creeds,

And let the glare of wisdom blind my eyes

To humble people and their humble needs.

I would not care to climb so high that I

Could never hear the children at their play,

Could only see the people passing by,

Yet never hear the cheering words they say.

I would not know too much—too much to smile

At trivial errors of the heart and hand,

Nor be too proud to play the friend the while,

And cease to help and know and understand.

I would not care to sit upon a throne,

Or build my house upon a mountain-top.

Where I must dwell in glory all alone

And never friend come in or poor man stop.

God grant that I may live upon this earth

And face the tasks which every morning brings,

And never lose the glory and the worth

Of humble service and the simple things.

"The Common Touch"

From a painting by HARVEY EMRICH.

MARJORIE

The house is as it was when she was here;

There's nothing changed at all about the place;

The books she loved to read are waiting near

As if to-morrow they would see her face;

Her room remains the way it used to be,

Here are the puzzles that she pondered on:

Yet since the angels called for Marjorie

The joyous spirit of the home has gone.

All things grew lovely underneath her touch,

The room was bright because it knew her smile;

From her the tiniest trinket gathered much,

The cheapest toy became a thing worth while;

Yet here are her possessions as they were,

No longer joys to set the eyes aglow;

To-day, as we, they seem to mourn for her,

And share the sadness that is ours to know.

Half sobbing now, we put her games away,

Because, dumb things, they cannot understand

Why never more shall Marjorie come to play,

And we have faith in God at our command.

These toys we smiled at once, now start our tears,

They seem to wonder why they lie so still,

They call her name, and will throughout the years—

God, strengthen us to bow unto Thy will.

THE NEWSPAPER MAN

Bit of a priest and a bit of sailor,

Bit of a doctor and bit of a tailor,

Bit of a lawyer, and bit of detective,

Bit of a judge, for his work is corrective;

Cheering the living and soothing the dying,

Risking all things, even dare-devil flying;

True to his paper and true to his clan—

Just look him over, the newspaper man.

Sleep! There are times that he'll do with a little,

Work till his nerves and his temper are brittle;

Fire cannot daunt him, nor long hours disturb him,

Gold cannot buy him and threats cannot curb him;

Highbrow or lowbrow, your own speech he'll hand you,

Talk as you will to him, he'll understand you;

He'll go wherever another man can—

That is the way of the newspaper man.

Surgeon, if urgent the need be, you'll find him,

Ready to help, nor will dizziness blind him;

He'll give the ether and never once falter,

Say the last rites like a priest at the altar;

Gentle and kind with the weak and the weary,

Which is proved now and then when his keen eye grows teary;

Facing all things in life's curious plan—

That is the way of the newspaper man.

One night a week may he rest from his labor,

One night at home to be father and neighbor;

Just a few hours for his own bit of leisure,

All the rest's gazing at other men's pleasure,

All the rest's toiling, and yet he rejoices,

All the world is, and that men do, he voices—

Who knows a calling more glorious than

The day-by-day work of the newspaper man?

A BOY AND HIS DAD

A boy and his dad on a fishing-trip—

There is a glorious fellowship!

Father and son and the open sky

And the white clouds lazily drifting by,

And the laughing stream as it runs along

With the clicking reel like a martial song,

And the father teaching the youngster gay

How to land a fish in the sportsman's way.

I fancy I hear them talking there

In an open boat, and the speech is fair.

And the boy is learning the ways of men

From the finest man in his youthful ken.

Kings, to the youngster, cannot compare

With the gentle father who's with him there.

And the greatest mind of the human race

Not for one minute could take his place.

Which is happier, man or boy?

The soul of the father is steeped in joy,

For he's finding out, to his heart's delight,

That his son is fit for the future fight.

He is learning the glorious depths of him,

And the thoughts he thinks and his every whim;

And he shall discover, when night comes on,

How close he has grown to his little son.

"A Boy And His Dad"

From a painting by M. L. BOWER.

A boy and his dad on a fishing-trip—

Builders of life's companionship!

Oh, I envy them, as I see them there

Under the sky in the open air,

For out of the old, old long-ago

Come the summer days that I used to know,

When I learned life's truths from my father's lips

As I shared the joy of his fishing-trips.

BREAD AND GRAVY

There's a heap o' satisfaction in a chunk o' pumpkin pie,

An' I'm always glad I'm livin' when the cake is passin' by;

An' I guess at every meal-time I'm as happy as can be,

For I like whatever dishes Mother gets for Bud an' me;

But there's just one bit of eatin' which I hold supremely great,

An' that's good old bread and gravy when I've finished up my plate.

I've eaten fancy dishes an' my mouth has watered, too;

I've been at banquet tables an' I've run the good things through;

I've had sea food up in Boston, I've had pompano down South,

For most everything that's edible I've put into my mouth;

But the finest treat I know of, now I publicly relate,

Is a chunk of bread and gravy when I've finished up my plate.

Now the epicures may snicker and the hotel chefs may smile,

But when it comes to eating I don't hunger much for style;

For an empty man wants fillin' an' you can't do that with things

Like breast o' guinea under glass, or curried turkey wings—

You want just plain home cookin' an' the chance to sit an' wait

For a piece o' bread an' gravy when you've finished up your plate.

Oh, it may be I am common an' my tastes not much refined,

But the meals which suit my fancy are the good old-fashioned kind,

With the food right on the table an' the hungry kids about

An' the mother an' the father handing all the good things out,

An' the knowledge in their presence that I needn't fear to state,

That I'd like some bread an' gravy when I've finished up my plate.

THE GRATE FIRE

I'm sorry for a fellow if he cannot look and see

In a grate fire's friendly flaming all the joys which used to be.

If in quiet contemplation of a cheerful ruddy blaze

He sees nothing there recalling all his happy yesterdays,

Then his mind is dead to fancy and his life is bleak and bare,

And he's doomed to walk the highways that are always thick with care.

When the logs are dry as tinder and they crackle with the heat,

And the sparks, like merry children, come a-dancing round my feet,

In the cold, long nights of autumn I can sit before the blaze

And watch a panorama born of all my yesterdays.

I can leave the present burdens and that moment's bit of woe,

And claim once more the gladness of the bygone long ago.

"The Grate Fire"

From a drawing by W. T. BENDA.

There are no absent faces in the grate fire's merry throng;

No hands in death are folded, and no lips are stilled to song.

All the friends who were are living—like the sparks that fly about;

They come romping out to greet me with the same old merry shout,

Till it seems to me I'm playing once again on boyhood's stage,

Where there's no such thing as sorrow and there's no such thing as age.

I can be the care-free schoolboy! I can play the lover, too!

I can walk through Maytime orchards with the old sweetheart I knew;

I can dream the glad dreams over, greet the old familiar friends

In a land where there's no parting and the laughter never ends.

All the gladness life has given from a grate fire I reclaim,

And I'm sorry for the fellow who can only see the flame.

THE KINDLY NEIGHBOR

I have a kindly neighbor, one who stands

Beside my gate and chats with me awhile,

Gives me the glory of his radiant smile

And comes at times to help with willing hands.

No station high or rank this man commands,

He, too, must trudge, as I, the long day's mile;

And yet, devoid of pomp or gaudy style,

He has a worth exceeding stocks or lands.

To him I go when sorrow's at my door,

On him I lean when burdens come my way,

Together oft we talk our trials o'er

And there is warmth in each good-night we say.

A kindly neighbor! Wars and strife shall end

When man has made the man next door his friend.

THE TEARS EXPRESSIVE

Death crossed his threshold yesterday

And left the glad voice of his loved one dumb.

To him the living now will come

And cross his threshold in the self-same way

To clasp his hand and vainly try to say

Words that shall soothe the heart that's stricken numb.

And I shall be among them in that place

So still and silent, where she used to sing—

The glad, sweet spirit that has taken wing—

Where shone the radiance of her lovely face,

And where she met him oft with fond embrace,

I shall step in to share his sorrowing.

Beside the staircase that has known her hand

And in the hall her presence made complete,

The home her life endowed with memories sweet

Where everything has heard her sweet command

And seems to wear her beauty, I shall stand

Wondering just how to greet him when we meet.

I dread the very silence of the place,

I dread our meeting and the time to speak—

Speech seems so vain when sorrow's at the peak!

Yet though my words lack soothing power or grace,

Perhaps he'll catch their meaning in my face

And read the tears which glisten on my cheek.

THE JOYS WE MISS

There never comes a lonely day but what we miss the laughing ways

Of those who used to walk with us through all our happy yesterdays.

We seldom miss the earthly great—the famous men that life has known—

But, as the years go racing by, we miss the friends we used to own.

The chair wherein he used to sit recalls the kindly father true,

For, oh, so filled with fun he was, and, oh, so very much he knew!

And as we face the problems grave with which the years of life are filled,

We miss the hand which guided us and miss the voice forever stilled.

We little guessed how much he did to smooth our pathway day by day,

How much of joy he brought to us, how much of care he brushed away;

But now that we must tread alone the thoroughfare of life, we find

How many burdens we were spared by him who was so brave and kind.

"The Joys We Miss"

From a painting by M. L. BOWER.

Death robs the living, not the dead—they sweetly sleep whose tasks are done;

But we are weaker than before who still must live and labor on.

For when come care and grief to us, and heavy burdens bring us woe,

We miss the smiling, helpful friends on whom we leaned long years ago.

We miss the happy, tender ways of those who brought us mirth and cheer;

We never gather round the hearth but what we wish our friends were near;

For peace is born of simple things—a kindly word, a good-night kiss,

The prattle of a babe, and love—these are the vanished joys we miss.

LITTLE FEET

There is no music quite so sweet

As patter of a baby's feet.

Who never hears along the hall

The sound of tiny feet that fall

Upon the floor so soft and low

As eagerly they come or go,

Has missed, no matter who he be,

Life's most inspiring symphony.

There is a music of the spheres

Too fine to ring in mortal ears,

Yet not more delicate and sweet

Than pattering of baby feet;

Where'er I hear that pit-a-pat

Which falls upon the velvet mat,

Out of my dreamy nap I start

And hear the echo in my heart.

'Tis difficult to put in words

The music of the summer birds,

Yet far more difficult a thing—

A lyric for that pattering;

Here is a music telling me

Of golden joys that are to be;

Unheralded by horns and drums,

To me a regal caller comes.

Now on my couch I lie and hear

A little toddler coming near,

Coming right boldly to my place

To pull my hair and pat my face,

Undaunted by my age or size,

Nor caring that I am not wise—

A visitor devoid of sham

Who loves me just for what I am.

This soft low music tells to me

In just a minute I shall be

Made captive by a thousand charms,

Held fast by chubby little arms,

For there is one upon the way

Who thinks the world was made for play.

Oh, where's the sound that's half so sweet

As pattering of baby feet?

JUST LIKE A MAN

This is the phrase they love to say:

"Just like a man!"

You can hear it wherever you chance to stray:

"Just like a man!"

The wife of the toiler, the queen of the king,

The bride with the shiny new wedding-ring

And the grandmothers, too, at our sex will fling,

"Just like a man!"

Cranky and peevish at times we grow:

"Just like a man!"

Now and then boastful of what we know:

"Just like a man!"

Whatever our failings from day to day—

Stingy, or giving our goods away—

With a toss of her head, she is sure to say,

"Just like a man!"

Unannounced strangers we bring to tea:

"Just like a man!"

Heedless of every propriety:

"Just like a man!"

Grumbling at money she spends for spats

And filmy dresses and gloves and hats,

Yet wanting her stylishly garbed, and that's

"Just like a man!"

"Just Like A Man"

From a charcoal drawing by W. T. BENDA.

Wanting attention from year to year:

"Just like a man!"

Seemingly helpless when she's not near:

"Just like a man!"

Troublesome often, and quick to demur,

Still remaining the boys we were,

Yet soothed and blest by the love of her:

"Just like a man!"

CLINCHING THE BOLT

It needed just an extra turn to make the bolt secure,

A few more minutes on the job and then the work was sure;

But he begrudged the extra turn, and when the task was through,

The man was back for more repairs in just a day or two.

Two men there are in every place, and one is only fair,

The other gives the extra turn to every bolt that's there;

One man is slip-shod in his work and eager to be quit,

The other never leaves a task until he's sure of it.

The difference 'twixt good and bad is not so very much,

A few more minutes at the task, an extra turn or touch,

A final test that all is right—and yet the men are few

Who seem to think it worth their while these extra things to do.

The poor man knows as well as does the good man how to work,

But one takes pride in every task, the other likes to shirk;

With just as little as he can, one seeks his pay to earn,

The good man always gives the bolt that clinching, extra turn.

HIS PA

Some fellers' pas seem awful old,

An' talk like they was going to scold,

An' their hair's all gone, an' they never grin

Or holler an' shout when they come in.

They don't get out in the street an' play

The way mine does at the close of day.

It's just as funny as it can be,

But my pa doesn't seem old to me.

He doesn't look old, an' he throws a ball,

Just like a boy, with the curves an' all,

An' he knows the kids by their first names, too,

An' says they're just like the boys he knew.

Some of the fellers are scared plumb stiff

When their fathers are near 'em an' act as if

They wuz doing wrong if they made a noise,

But my pa seems to be one of the boys.

It's funny, but, somehow, I never can

Think of my pa as a grown-up man.

He doesn't frown an' he doesn't scold,

An' he doesn't act as though he wuz old.

He talks of the things I want to know,

Just like one of our gang, an' so,

Whenever we're out, it seems that he

Is more like a pal than a pa to me.

"His Pa"

From a painting by M. L. BOWER.

EXAMPLE

Perhaps the victory shall not come to me,

Perhaps I shall not reach the goal I seek,

It may be at the last I shall be weak

And falter as the promised land I see;

Yet I must try for it and strive to be

All that a conqueror is. On to the peak,

Must be my call—this way lies victory!

Boy, take my hand and hear me when I speak.

There is the goal. In honor make the fight.

I may not reach it but, my boy, you can.

Cling to your faith and work with all your might,

Some day the world shall hail you as a man.

And when at last shall come your happy day,

Enough for me that I have shown the way.

WINDING THE CLOCK

When I was but a little lad, my old Grandfather said

That none should wind the clock but he, and so, at time for bed,

He'd fumble for the curious key kept high upon the shelf

And set aside that little task entirely for himself.

In time Grandfather passed away, and so that duty fell

Unto my Father, who performed the weekly custom well;

He held that clocks were not to be by careless persons wound,

And he alone should turn the key or move the hands around.

I envied him that little task, and wished that I might be

The one to be entrusted with the turning of the key;

But year by year the clock was his exclusive bit of care

Until the day the angels came and smoothed his silver hair.

To-day the task is mine to do, like those who've gone before

I am a jealous guardian of that round and glassy door,

And 'til at my chamber door God's messenger shall knock

To me alone shall be reserved the right to wind the clock.

THE NEED

We were settin' there an' smokin' of our pipes, discussin' things,

Like licker, votes for wimmin, an' the totterin' thrones o' kings,

When he ups an' strokes his whiskers with his hand an' says t' me:

"Changin' laws an' legislatures ain't, as fur as I can see,

Goin' to make this world much better, unless somehow we can

Find a way to make a better an' a finer sort o' man.

"The trouble ain't with statutes or with systems—not at all;

It's with humans jus' like we air an' their petty ways an' small.

We could stop our writin' law-books an' our regulatin' rules

If a better sort of manhood was the product of our schools.

For the things that we air needin' isn't writin' from a pen

Or bigger guns to shoot with, but a bigger type of men.

"The Need"

From a painting by PRUETT CARTER.

"I reckon all these problems air jest ornery like the weeds.

They grow in soil that oughta nourish only decent deeds,

An' they waste our time an' fret us when, if we were thinkin' straight

An' livin' right, they wouldn't be so terrible and great.

A good horse needs no snaffle, an' a good man, I opine,

Doesn't need a law to check him or to force him into line.

"If we ever start in teachin' to our children, year by year,

How to live with one another, there'll be less o' trouble here.

If we'd teach 'em how to neighbor an' to walk in honor's ways,

We could settle every problem which the mind o' man can raise.

What we're needin' isn't systems or some regulatin' plan,

But a bigger an' a finer an' a truer type o' man."

TEN-FINGERED MICE

When a cake is nicely frosted and it's put away for tea,

And it looks as trim and proper as a chocolate cake should be,

Would it puzzle you at evening as you brought it from the ledge

To find the chocolate missing from its smooth and shiny edge?

As you viewed the cake in sorrow would you look around and say,

"Who's been nibbling in the pantry when he should have been at play?"

And if little eyes look guilty as they hungered for a slice,

Would you take Dad's explanation that it must have been the mice?

Oh, I'm sorry for the household that can keep a frosted cake

Smooth and perfect through the daytime, for the hearts of them must ache—

For it must be very lonely to be living in a house

Where the pantry's never ravaged by a glad ten-fingered mouse.

Though I've traveled far past forty, I confess that I, myself,

Even now will nip a morsel from the good things on the shelf;

And I never blame the youngsters who discover chocolate cake

For the tiny little samples which exultantly they take.

THE THINGS

THEY MUSTN'T TOUCH

Been down to the art museum an' looked at a thousand things,

The bodies of ancient mummies an' the treasures of ancient kings,

An' some of the walls were lovely, but some of the things weren't much,

But all had a rail around 'em, an' all wore a sign "Don't touch."

Now maybe an art museum needs guards and a warning sign

An' the hands of the folks should never paw over its treasures fine;

But I noticed the rooms were chilly with all the joys they hold,

An' in spite of the lovely pictures, I'd say that the place is cold.

An' somehow I got to thinkin' of many a home I know

Which is kept like an art museum, an' merely a place for show;

They haven't railed off their treasures or posted up signs or such,

But all of the children know it—there's a lot that they mustn't touch.

It's hands off the grand piano, keep out of the finest chair,

Stay out of the stylish parlor, don't run on the shiny stair;

You may look at the velvet curtains which hang in the stately hall,

But always and ever remember, they're not to be touched at all.

"Don't touch!" for an art museum, is proper enough, I know,

But my children's feet shall scamper wherever they want to go,

And I want no rare possessions or a joy which has cost so much,

From which I must bar the children and tell them they "mustn't touch."

THE HARDER PART

It's mighty hard for Mother—I am busy through the day

And the tasks of every morning keep the gloomy thoughts away,

And I'm not forever meeting with a slipper or a gown

To remind me of our sorrow when I'm toiling in the town.

But with Mother it is different—there's no minute she is free

From the sight of things which tell her of the joy which used to be.

She is brave and she is faithful, and we say we're reconciled,

But your hearts are always heavy once you've lost a little child;

And a man can face his sorrow in a manly sort of way,

For his grief must quickly leave him when he's busy through the day;

But the mother's lot is harder—she must learn to sing and smile

Though she's living in the presence of her sorrow all the while.

Through the room where love once waited she must tip-toe day by day,

She must see through every window where the baby used to play,

And there's not a thing she touches, nor a task she finds to do,

But it sets her heart to aching and begins the hurt anew.

Oh, a man can turn from sorrow, for his mind is occupied,

But the mother's lot is harder—grief is always at her side.

YOUTH

If I had youth I'd bid the world to try me;

I'd answer every challenge to my will.

Though mountains stood in silence to defy me,

I'd try to make them subject to my skill.

I'd keep my dreams and follow where they led me;

I'd glory in the hazards which abound.

I'd eat the simple fare privations fed me,

And gladly make my couch upon the ground.

If I had youth I'd ask no odds of distance,

Nor wish to tread the known and level ways.

I'd want to meet and master strong resistance,

And in a worth-while struggle spend my days.

I'd seek the task which calls for full endeavor;

I'd feel the thrill of battle in my veins.

I'd bear my burden gallantly, and never

Desert the hills to walk on common plains.

If I had youth no thought of failure lurking

Beyond to-morrow's dawn should fright my soul.

Let failure strike—it still should find me working

With faith that I should some day reach my goal.

I'd dice with danger—aye!—and glory in it;

I'd make high stakes the purpose of my throw.

I'd risk for much, and should I fail to win it,

I would not even whimper at the blow.

"Youth"

From a drawing by W. T. BENDA.

If I had youth no chains of fear should bind me;

I'd brave the heights which older men must shun.

I'd leave the well-worn lanes of life behind me,

And seek to do what men have never done.

Rich prizes wait for those who do not waver;

The world needs men to battle for the truth.

It calls each hour for stronger hearts and braver.

This is the age for those who still have youth!

ACCOMPLISHED CARE

All things grow lovely in a little while,

The brush of memory paints a canvas fair;

The dead face through the ages wears a smile,

And glorious becomes accomplished care.

There's nothing ugly that can live for long,

There's nothing constant in the realm of pain;

Right always comes to take the place of wrong,

Who suffers much shall find the greater gain.

Life has a kindly way, despite its tears

And all the burdens which its children bear;

It crowns with beauty all the troubled years

And soothes the hurts and makes their memory fair.

Be brave when days are bitter with despair,

Be true when you are made to suffer wrong;

Life's greatest joy is an accomplished care,

There's nothing ugly that can live for long.

BULB PLANTING TIME

Last night he said the dead were dead

And scoffed my faith to scorn;

I found him at a tulip bed

When I passed by at morn.

"O ho!" said I, "the frost is near

And mist is on the hills,

And yet I find you planting here

Tulips and daffodils."

"'Tis time to plant them now," he said,

"If they shall bloom in Spring";

"But every bulb," said I, "seems dead,

And such an ugly thing."

"The pulse of life I cannot feel,

The skin is dried and brown.

Now look!" a bulb beneath my heel

I crushed and trampled down.

In anger then he said to me:

"You've killed a lovely thing;

A scarlet blossom that would be

Some morning in the Spring."

"Last night a greater sin was thine,"

To him I slowly said;

"You trampled on the dead of mine

And told me they are dead."

HIS OTHER CHANCE

He was down and out, and his pluck was gone,

And he said to me in a gloomy way:

"I've wasted my chances, one by one,

And I'm just no good, as the people say.

Nothing ahead, and my dreams all dust,

Though once there was something I might have been,

But I wasn't game, and I broke my trust,

And I wasn't straight and I wasn't clean."

"You're pretty low down," says I to him,

"But nobody's holding you there, my friend.

Life is a stream where men sink or swim,

And the drifters come to a sorry end;

But there's two of you living and breathing still—

The fellow you are, and he's tough to see,

And another chap, if you've got the will,

The man that you still have a chance to be."

He laughed with scorn. "Is there two of me?

I thought I'd murdered the other one.

I once knew a chap that I hoped to be,

And he was decent, but now he's gone."

"Well," says I, "it may seem to you

That life has little of joy in store,

But there's always something you still can do,

And there's never a man but can try once more.

"His Other Chance"

From a drawing by W. T. BENDA.

"There are always two to the end of time—

The fellow we are and the future man.

The Lord never meant you should cease to climb,

And you can get up if you think you can.

The fellow you are is a sorry sight,

But you needn't go drifting out to sea.

Get hold of yourself and travel right;

There's a fellow you've still got a chance to be."

THE FAMILY DOCTOR

I've tried the high-toned specialists, who doctor folks to-day;

I've heard the throat man whisper low "Come on now let us spray";

I've sat in fancy offices and waited long my turn,

And paid for fifteen minutes what it took a week to earn;

But while these scientific men are kindly, one and all,

I miss the good old doctor that my mother used to call.

The old-time family doctor! Oh, I am sorry that he's gone,

He ushered us into the world and knew us every one;

He didn't have to ask a lot of questions, for he knew

Our histories from birth and all the ailments we'd been through.

And though as children small we feared the medicines he'd send,

The old-time family doctor grew to be our dearest friend.

No hour too late, no night too rough for him to heed our call;

He knew exactly where to hang his coat up in the hall;

He knew exactly where to go, which room upstairs to find

The patient he'd been called to see, and saying: "Never mind,

I'll run up there myself and see what's causing all the fuss."

It seems we grew to look and lean on him as one of us.

He had a big and kindly heart, a fine and tender way,

And more than once I've wished that I could call him in to-day.

The specialists are clever men and busy men, I know,

And haven't time to doctor as they did long years ago;

But some day he may come again, the friend that we can call,

The good old family doctor who will love us one and all.

DENIAL

I'd like to give 'em all they ask—it hurts to have to answer, "No,"

And say they cannot have the things they tell me they are wanting so;

Yet now and then they plead for what I know would not be good to give

Or what I can't afford to buy, and that's the hardest hour I live.

They little know or understand how happy I would be to grant

Their every wish, yet there are times it isn't wise, or else I can't.

And sometimes, too, I can't explain the reason when they question why

Their pleadings for some passing joy it is my duty to deny.

I only know I'd like to see them smile forever on life's way;

I would not have them shed one tear or ever meet a troubled day.

And I would be content with life and gladly face each dreary task,

If I could always give to them the little treasures that they ask.

"Denial"

From a painting by F. C. YOHN.

Sometimes we pray to God above and ask for joys that are denied,

And when He seems to scorn our plea, in bitterness we turn aside.

And yet the Father of us all, Who sees and knows just what is best,

May wish, as often here we wish, that He could grant what we request.

THE WORKMAN'S DREAM

To-day it's dirt and dust and steam,

To-morrow it will be the same,

And through it all the soul must dream

And try to play a manly game;

Dirt, dust and steam and harsh commands,

Yet many a soft hand passes by

And only thinks he understands

The purpose of my task and why.

I've seen men shudder just to see

Me standing at this lathe of mine,

And knew somehow they pitied me,

But I have never made a whine;

For out of all this dirt and dust

And clang and clamor day by day,

Beyond toil's everlasting "must,"

I see my little ones at play.

The hissing steam would drive me mad

If hissing steam was all I heard;

But there's a boy who calls me dad

Who daily keeps my courage spurred;

And there's a little girl who waits

Each night for all that I may bring,

And I'm the guardian of their fates,

Which makes this job a wholesome thing.

Beyond the dust and dirt and steam

I see a college where he'll go;

And when I shall fulfill my dream,

More than his father he will know;

And she shall be a woman fair,

Fit for the world to love and trust—

I'll give my land a glorious pair

Out of this place of dirt and dust.

THE HOMELY MAN

Looks as though a cyclone hit him—

Can't buy clothes that seem to fit him;

An' his cheeks are rough like leather,

Made for standin' any weather.

Outwards he wuz fashioned plainly,

Loose o' joint an' blamed ungainly,

But I'd give a lot if I'd

Been prepared so fine inside.

Best thing I can tell you of him

Is the way the children love him.

Now an' then I get to thinkin'

He is much like old Abe Lincoln—

Homely like a gargoyle graven,

An' looks worse when he's unshaven;

But I'd take his ugly phiz

Jes' to have a heart like his.

I ain't over-sentimental,

But old Blake is so blamed gentle

An' so thoughtful-like of others

He reminds us of our mothers.

Rough roads he is always smoothin',

An' his way is, oh, so soothin'

That he takes away the sting

When your heart is sorrowing.

"The Homely Man"

From a painting by M. L. BOWER.

Children gather round about him

Like they can't get on without him.

An' the old depend upon him,

Pilin' all their burdens on him,

Like as though the thing that grieves 'em

Has been lifted when he leaves 'em.

Homely? That can't be denied.

But he's glorious inside.

UNCHANGEABLE MOTHER

Mothers never change, I guess,

In their tender thoughtfulness.

Makes no difference that you grow

Up to forty years or so,

Once you cough, you'll find that she

Sees you as you used to be,

An' she wants to tell to you

All the things that you must do.

Just show symptoms of a cold,

She'll forget that you've grown old.

Though there's silver in your hair,

Still you need a mother's care,

An' she'll ask you things like these:

"You still wearing b. v. d.'s?

Summer days have long since gone,

You should have your flannels on."

Grown and married an' maybe

Father of a family,

But to mother you are still

Just her boy when you are ill;

Just the lad that used to need

Plasters made of mustard seed;

An' she thinks she has to see

That you get your flaxseed tea.

Mothers never change, I guess,

In their tender thoughtfulness.

All her gentle long life through

She is bent on nursing you;

An' although you may be grown,

She still claims you for her own,

An' to her you'll always be

Just a youngster at her knee.

LIFE

Life is a jest;

Take the delight of it.

Laughter is best;

Sing through the night of it.

Swiftly the tear

And the hurt and the ache of it

Find us down here;

Life must be what we make of it.

Life is a song;

Let us dance to the thrill of it.

Grief's hours are long,

And cold is the chill of it.

Joy is man's need;

Let us smile for the sake of it.

This be our creed:

Life must be what we make of it.

Life is a soul;

The virtue and vice of it.

Strife for a goal,

And man's strength is the price of it.

Your life and mine,

The bare bread and the cake of it,

End in this line:

Life must be what we make of it.

"Life"

From a charcoal drawing by W. T. BENDA.

SUCCESS

This I would claim for my success—not fame nor gold,

Nor the throng's changing cheers from day to day,

Not always ease and fortune's glad display,

Though all of these are pleasant joys to hold;

But I would like to have my story told

By smiling friends with whom I've shared the way,

Who, thinking of me, nod their heads and say:

"His heart was warm when other hearts were cold.

"None turned to him for aid and found it not,

His eyes were never blind to man's distress,

Youth and old age he lived, nor once forgot

The anguish and the ache of loneliness;

His name was free from stain or shameful blot

And in his friendship men found happiness."

THE LONELY OLD FELLOW

The roses are bedded for winter, the tulips are planted for spring;

The robins and martins have left us; there are only the sparrows to sing.

The garden seems solemnly silent, awaiting its blankets of snow,

And I feel like a lonely old fellow with nowhere to turn or to go.

All summer I've hovered about them, all summer they've nodded at me;

I've wandered and waited among them the first pink of blossom to see;

I've known them and loved and caressed them, and now all their splendor has fled,

And the harsh winds of winter all tell me the friends of my garden are dead.

I'm a lonely old fellow, that's certain. All winter with nothing to do

But sit by the window recalling the days when my skies were all blue;

But my heart is not given to sorrow and never my lips shall complain,

For winter shall pass and the sunshine shall give me my roses again.

And so for the friends that have vanished, the friends that they tell me are dead,

Who have traveled the road to God's Acres and sleep where the willows are spread;

They have left me a lonely old fellow to sit here and dream by the pane,

But I know, like the friends of my garden, we shall all meet together again.

SOMEBODY ELSE

Somebody wants a new bonnet to wear;

Somebody wants a new dress;

Somebody needs a new bow for her hair,

And never the wanting grows less.

Oh, this is the reason I labor each day

And this is the joy of my tasks:

That deep in the envelope holding my pay

Is something that somebody asks.

I could go begging for water and bread

And travel the highways of ease,

But somebody wants a roof over his head

And stockings to cover his knees.

I could go shirking the duties of life

And laugh when necessity pleads,

But rather I stand to the toil and the strife

To furnish what somebody needs.

Somebody wants what I've strength to supply,

And somebody's waiting for me

To come home to-night with money to buy

Her bread and her cake and her tea.

And as I am strong so her laughter will ring,

And as I am true she will smile;

It's the somebody else of the toiler or king

That makes all the struggle worth while.

"Somebody Else"

From a charcoal drawing by M. L. BOWER.

Somebody needs all the courage I own,

And somebody's trust is in me;

For never a man who can go it alone,

Whatever his station may be.

So I stand to my task and I stand to my care,

And struggle to come to success,

For the ribbons to tie up somebody's hair,

And my somebody's pretty new dress.

EFFORT

He brought me his report card from the teacher and he said

He wasn't very proud of it and sadly bowed his head.

He was excellent in reading, but arithmetic, was fair,

And I noticed there were several "unsatisfactorys" there;

But one little bit of credit which was given brought me joy—

He was "excellent in effort," and I fairly hugged the boy.

"Oh, it doesn't make much difference what is written on your card,"

I told that little fellow, "if you're only trying hard.

The 'very goods' and 'excellents' are fine, I must agree,

But the effort you are making means a whole lot more to me;

And the thing that's most important when this card is put aside

Is to know, in spite of failure, that to do your best you've tried.

"Just keep excellent in effort—all the rest will come to you.

There isn't any problem but some day you'll learn to do,

And at last, when you grow older, you will come to understand

That by hard and patient toiling men have risen to command

And some day you will discover when a greater goal's at stake

That better far than brilliance is the effort you will make."

LIVING

The miser thinks he's living when he's hoarding up his gold;

The soldier calls it living when he's doing something bold;

The sailor thinks it living to be tossed upon the sea,

And upon this very subject no two men of us agree.

But I hold to the opinion, as I walk my way along,

That living's made of laughter and good-fellowship and song.

I wouldn't call it living to be always seeking gold,

To bank all the present gladness for the days when I'll be old.

I wouldn't call it living to spend all my strength for fame,

And forego the many pleasures which to-day are mine to claim.

I wouldn't for the splendor of the world set out to roam,

And forsake my laughing children and the peace I know at home.

"Living"

From a painting by FRANK X. LEYENDECKER.

Oh, the thing that I call living isn't gold or fame at all!

It's fellowship and sunshine, and it's roses by the wall.

It's evenings glad with music and a hearth-fire that's ablaze,

And the joys which come to mortals in a thousand different ways.

It is laughter and contentment and the struggle for a goal;

It is everything that's needful in the shaping of a soul.

A WARM HOUSE

AND A RUDDY FIRE

A warm house and a ruddy fire,

To what more can man aspire?

Eyes that shine with love aglow,

Is there more for man to know?

Whether home be rich or poor,

If contentment mark the door

He who finds it good to live

Has the best that life can give.

This the end of mortal strife!

Peace at night to sweeten life,

Rest when mind and body tire,

At contentment's ruddy fire.

Rooms where merry songs are sung,

Happy old and glorious young;

These, if perfect peace be known,

Both the rich and poor must own.

A warm house and a ruddy fire,

These the goals of all desire,

These the dream of every man

Since God spoke and life began.

THE ONE IN TEN

Nine passed him by with a hasty look,

Each bent on his eager way;

One glance at him was the most they took,

"Somebody stuck," said they;

But it never occurred to the nine to heed

A stranger's plight and a stranger's need.

The tenth man looked at the stranded car,

And he promptly stopped his own.

"Let's see if I know what your troubles are,"

Said he in a cheerful tone;

"Just stuck in the mire. Here's a cable stout,

Hitch onto my bus and I'll pull you out."

"A thousand thanks," said the stranger then,

"For the debt that I owe you;

I've counted them all and you're one in ten

Such a kindly deed to do."

And the tenth man smiled and he answered then,

"Make sure that you'll be the one in ten."

Are you one of the nine who pass men by

In this hasty life we live?

Do you refuse with a downcast eye

The help which you could give?

Or are you the one in ten whose creed

Is always to stop for the man in need?

TO A YOUNG MAN

The great were once as you.

They whom men magnify to-day

Once groped and blundered on life's way,

Were fearful of themselves, and thought

By magic was men's greatness wrought.

They feared to try what they could do;

Yet Fame hath crowned with her success

The selfsame gifts that you possess.

The great were young as you,

Dreaming the very dreams you hold,

Longing yet fearing to be bold,

Doubting that they themselves possessed

The strength and skill for every test,

Uncertain of the truths they knew,

Not sure that they could stand to fate

With all the courage of the great.

Then came a day when they

Their first bold venture made,

Scorning to cry for aid.

They dared to stand to fight alone,

Took up the gauntlet life had thrown,

Charged full-front to the fray,

Mastered their fear of self, and then,

Learned that our great men are but men.

"To A Young Man"

From a charcoal drawing by W. T. BENDA.

Oh, youth, go forth and do!

You, too, to fame may rise;

You can be strong and wise.

Stand up to life and play the man—

You can if you'll but think you can;

The great were once as you.

You envy them their proud success?

'Twas won with gifts that you possess.

AFRAID OF HIS DAD

Bill Jones, who goes to school with me,

Is the saddest boy I ever see.

He's just so 'fraid he runs away

When all of us fellows want to play,

An' says he dassent stay about

Coz if his father found it out

He'd wallop him. An' he can't go

With us to see a picture show

On Saturdays, an' it's too bad,

But he's afraid to ask his dad.

When he gets his report card, he

Is just as scared as scared can be,

An' once I saw him when he cried

Becoz although he'd tried an' tried

His best, the teacher didn't care

An' only marked his spelling fair,

An' he told me there'd be a fight

When his dad saw his card that night.

It seems to me it's awful bad

To be so frightened of your dad.

My Dad ain't that way—I can go

An' tell him everything I know,

An' ask him things, an' when he comes

Back home at night he says we're chums;

An' we go out an' take a walk,

An' all the time he lets me talk.

I ain't scared to tell him what

I've done to-day that I should not;

When I get home I'm always glad

To stay around an' play with Dad.

Bill Jones, he says, he wishes he

Could have a father just like me,

But his dad hasn't time to play,

An' so he chases him away

An' scolds him when he makes a noise

An' licks him if he breaks his toys.

Sometimes Bill says he's got to lie

Or else get whipped, an' that is why

It seems to me it's awful bad

To be so frightened of your dad.

SERVICE

I have no wealth of gold to give away,

But I can pledge to worthy causes these:

I'll give my strength, my days and hours of ease,

My finest thought and courage when I may,

And take some deed accomplished for my pay.

I cannot offer much in silver fees,

But I can serve when richer persons play,

And with my presence fill some vacancies.

There are some things beyond the gift of gold,

A richer treasure's needed now and then;

Some joys life needs which are not bought and sold—

The high occasion often calls for men.

Some for release from service give their pelf,

But he gives most who freely gives himself.

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ***

Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will be renamed.

Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.

START: FULL LICENSE

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project Gutenberg™ License available with this file or online at www.gutenberg.org/license.

Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works

1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg™ electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in your possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg™ electronic works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg™ electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg™ works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg™ name associated with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg™ License when you share it without charge with others.

1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project Gutenberg™ work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any country other than the United States.

1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg™ License must appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg™ work (any work on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed:

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg™ trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is posted with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked to the Project Gutenberg™ License for all works posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.

1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg™ License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg™.

1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project Gutenberg™ License.

1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg™ work in a format other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg™ website (www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg™ License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg™ works unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing access to or distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works provided that:

• You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from the use of Project Gutenberg™ works calculated using the method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, “Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.”

• You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg™ License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg™ works.

• You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of receipt of the work.

• You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works.

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.

1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg™ work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg™ work, and (c) any Defect you cause.

Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg™

Project Gutenberg™ is synonymous with the free distribution of electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg™’s goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg™ collection will remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure and permanent future for Project Gutenberg™ and future generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org.

Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws.

The Foundation’s business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact

Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate.

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate

Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg™ electronic works

Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg™ concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project Gutenberg™ eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.

Project Gutenberg™ eBooks are often created from several printed editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.

Most people start at our website which has the main PG search facility: www.gutenberg.org.

This website includes information about Project Gutenberg™, including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.

Table of Contents

The Project Gutenberg eBook of All That Matters, by Edgar A. Guest

All That Matters

INDEX

ALL THAT MATTERS

UNTIL SHE DIED

THE CALL

MOTHER AND THE BABY

OLD-FASHIONED LETTERS

GOD MADE THIS DAY FOR ME

FORGETFUL PA

MOTHERHOOD

PLAYING FOR KEEPS

THE FROSTING DISH

PLAY THE GAME

WHEN THE YOUNG ARE GROWN

THE BOY'S IDEAL

JUST HALF OF THAT, PLEASE

THE COMMON TOUCH

MARJORIE

THE NEWSPAPER MAN

A BOY AND HIS DAD

BREAD AND GRAVY

THE GRATE FIRE

THE KINDLY NEIGHBOR

THE TEARS EXPRESSIVE

THE JOYS WE MISS

LITTLE FEET

JUST LIKE A MAN

CLINCHING THE BOLT

HIS PA

EXAMPLE

WINDING THE CLOCK

THE NEED

TEN-FINGERED MICE

THE THINGS THEY MUSTN'T TOUCH

THE HARDER PART

YOUTH

ACCOMPLISHED CARE

BULB PLANTING TIME

HIS OTHER CHANCE

THE FAMILY DOCTOR

DENIAL

THE WORKMAN'S DREAM

THE HOMELY MAN

UNCHANGEABLE MOTHER

LIFE

SUCCESS

THE LONELY OLD FELLOW

SOMEBODY ELSE

EFFORT

LIVING

A WARM HOUSE AND A RUDDY FIRE

THE ONE IN TEN

TO A YOUNG MAN

AFRAID OF HIS DAD

SERVICE

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE