A Heap O Livin | Page 4

way I used
to do;
I'd
like to race and run again, and drain from
life its fun again,
And start another round of joy the moment
one
was through.
But care and strife have come to me, and often
days are glum to me,
And sleep is not the thing it was and food
is
not the same;
And I have sighed, and known that I must
journey on again to sigh,
And I have stood at envy's point and heard

the voice of shame.
I've learned that joys are fleeting things; that
parting pain each meeting brings;
That gain and loss are partners here,
and so
are smiles and tears;
That only boys from day to day can
drain and
fill the cup of play;
That age must mourn for what is lost

throughout the coming years.
But boys cannot appreciate their
priceless joy
until too late
And those who own the charms I had will
soon be
changed to men;
And then, they too will sit, as I, and backward
turn to look and sigh
And share my longing, vain, to be a carefree

boy again.
WHAT A BABY COSTS

"How much do babies cost?" said he
The other night upon my knee;

And then I said: "They cost a lot;
A lot of watching by a cot,
A
lot of sleepless hours and care,
A lot of heart-ache and despair,
A
lot of fear and trying dread,
And sometimes many tears are shed
In
payment for our babies small,
But every one is worth it all.
"For babies people have to pay
A heavy price from day to day --

There is no way to get one cheap.
Why, sometimes when they're fast
asleep
You have to get up in the night
And go and see that they're
all right.
But what they cost in constant care
And worry, does not
half compare
With what they bring of joy and bliss --
You'd pay
much more for just a kiss.
"Who buys a baby has to pay
A portion of the bill each day;
He has
to give his time and thought
Unto the little one he's bought.
He has
to stand a lot of pain
Inside his heart and not complain;
And pay
with lonely days and sad
For all the happy hours he's had.
His smile
is worth it all, you bet."
MOTHER
Never a sigh for the cares that she bore for me
Never a thought of the
joys that flew by;
Her one regret that she couldn't do more for me,

Thoughtless and selfish, her Master was I.
Oh, the long nights that she came at my call to
me!
Oh, the soft touch of her hands on my brow!
Oh, the long years
that she gave up her all to
me!
Oh, how I yearn for her gentleness now!
Slave to her baby! Yes, that was the way of
her,
Counting her greatest of services small;
Words cannot tell what
this old heart would

say of her,
Mother -- the sweetest and fairest of all.
SELFISH
I am selfish in my wishin' every sort o' joy for
you;
I am selfish when I tell you that I'm wishin'
skies o' blue
Bending o'er you every minute, and a pocketful
of gold,
An' as much of love an' gladness as a human
heart can hold.
Coz I know beyond all question that if such a
thing could be
As you cornerin' life's riches you would share
'em all with me.
I am selfish in my wishin' every sorrow from
your way,
With no trouble thoughts to fret you at the
closin' o' the day;
An' it's selfishness that bids me wish you comforts
by the score,
An' all the joys you long for, an' on top o'
them, some more;
Coz I know, old tried an' faithful, that if such
a thing could be
As you cornerin' life's riches you would share
'em all with me.
RICH
Who has a troop of romping youth
About his parlor floor,
Who
nightly hears a round of cheers,
When he is at the door,
Who is
attacked on every side
By eager little hands
That reach to tug his

grizzled mug,
The wealth of earth commands.
Who knows the joys of girls and boys,
His lads and lassies, too,

Who's pounced upon and bounced upon
When his day's work is
through,
Whose trousers know the gentle tug
Of some glad little tot,

The baby of his crew of love,
Is wealthier than a lot.
Oh, be he poor and sore distressed
And weary with the fight,
If with
a whoop his healthy troop
Run, welcoming at night,
And kisses
greet him at the end
Of all his toiling grim,
With what is best in life
he's blest
And rich men envy him.
MA AND THE AUTO
Before we take an auto ride Pa says to Ma:
"My dear,
Now just remember I don't need suggestions
from the rear.
If you will just sit still back there and hold
in check your fright,
I'll take you where you want to go and get
you back all right.
Remember that my hearing's good and also I'm
not blind,
And I can drive this car without suggestions
from behind."
Ma promises that she'll keep still, then off we
gayly start,
But soon she notices