The dark predictions of the weak;
I find myself pursued by Care,
No matter what the end I seek;
My victories are small and few,
It matters not how hard I strive;
Each day the fight begins anew,
But fighting keeps my hopes alive.

My dreams are spoiled by circumstance,
My plans are wrecked by Fate or Luck;
Some hour, perhaps, will bring my chance,
But that great hour has never struck;
My progress has been slow and hard,
I've had to climb and crawl and swim,
Fighting for every stubborn yard,
But I have kept in fighting trim.

I have to fight my doubts away,
And be on guard against my fears;
The feeble croaking of Dismay
Has been familiar through the years;
My dearest plans keep going wrong,
Events combine to thwart my will,
But fighting keeps my spirit strong,
And I am undefeated still!

_S.E. Kiser._

From "The New York American."

[Illustration: SAMUEL ELLSWORTH KISER]

TO YOUTH AFTER PAIN

Since pain is the lot of all, we cannot hope to escape it. Since only
through pain can we come into true and helpful sympathy with men, we
should not wish to escape it.

What if this year has given
Grief that some year must bring,
What if it hurt your joyous youth,
Crippled your laughter's wing?
You always knew it was coming,
Coming to all, to you,
They always said there was suffering--
Now it is done, come through.

Even if you have blundered,
Even if you have sinned,
Still is the steadfast arch of the sky
And the healing veil of the wind....
And after only a little,
A little of hurt and pain,
You shall have the web of your own old dreams
Wrapping your heart again.

Only your heart can pity
Now, where it laughed and passed,
Now you can bend to comfort men,
One with them all at last,
You shall have back your laughter,
You shall have back your song,
Only the world is your brother now,
Only your soul is strong!

_Margaret Widdemer._

From "The Old Road to Paradise."

CAN'T

A great, achieving soul will not clog itself with a cowardly thought or
a cowardly watchword. Cardinal Richelieu in Bulwer-Lytton's play
declares:

"In the lexicon of youth, which fate reserves
For a bright manhood, there is no such word
As 'fail.'"

"Impossible," Napoleon is quoted as saying, "is a word found only in the
dictionary of fools."