hildren.

Wild and breathless in their glee--
Lawless rangers of all ways
Winding through lush greenery
Of Elysian vales--the viny,
Bowery groves of shady, shiny
Haunts of childish days.
Spread and read again with me
The Book of Joyous Children.

What a whir of wings, and what
Sudden drench of dews upon
The young brows, wreathed, all unsought,
With the apple-blossom garlands
Of the poets of those far lands
Whence all dreams are drawn
Set herein and soiling not
The Book of Joyous Children.

In their blithe companionship
Taste again, these pages through,
The hot honey on your lip
Of the sun-smit wild strawberry,
Or the chill tart of the cherry;
Kneel, all glowing, to
The cool spring, and with it sip
The Book of Joyous Children.

As their laughter needs no rule,
So accept their language, pray.--
Touch it not with any tool:
Surely we may understand it,--
As the heart has parsed or scanned it
Is a worthy way,
Though found not in any School
The Book of Joyous Children.

[Illustration: "KNEEL, ALL GLOWING, TO THE COOL SPRING."]

Be a truant--know no place
Of prison under heaven's rim!
Front the Father's smiling face--
Smiling, that _you_ smile the brighter
For the heavy hearts made lighter,
Since you smile with Him.
Take--and thank Him for His grace--
The Book of Joyous Children.

* * * * *

AN IMPROMPTU FAIRY-TALE

[Illustration]

_When I wuz ist a little bit_
_o' weenty-teenty kid_
_I maked up a Fairy-tale,_
_all by myse'f, I did:--_

I

Wunst upon a time wunst
They wuz a Fairy King,
An' ever'thing he have wuz _gold--_,
His clo'es, an' _ever_'thing!
An' all the other Fairies
In his goldun Palace-hall
Had to hump an' hustle--
'Cause he wuz bosst of all!

II

He have a goldun trumput,
An' when he blow' on that,
It's a sign he want' his boots,
Er his coat er hat:
They's a sign fer ever'thing,--
An' all the Fairies knowed
Ever' sign, an' come a-hoppin'
When the King blowed!

[Illustration]

III

Wunst he blowed an' telled 'em all:
"Saddle up yer bees--
Fireflies is gittin' fat
An' sassy as you please!--
Guess we'll go a-huntin'!"
So they hunt' a little bit,
Till