Adelbert Farrington Caldwell

“ When I want it pleasant it’s always the way;
It rains, rains, rains!”
“To-day I can finish my book,” said Dean;
“It’s the jolliest one I ever have seen;
For it rains, rains, rains!”
“It will fill up the swimming-hole, p’r’aps,” said Ted.
“I can dive like a frog if it’s over my head;
Glad it rains, rains, rains!”
“To-day,” said Herr Steuber, “my plants I’ll set out;
I feared they would die because of the drought.
Ha! it rains, rains, rains!”
“The weather’ll be cooler, and Aunt Polly Haynes
May get over her fever,” said Lou, “if it rains—
If it rains, rains, rains!” ”

“ The gentlest words are spoken when the heart is sad with woe,
And the rarest wisdom emanates from those whose steps are slow,
And those whose eyes are blind to sights that glisten for a day,
See glories far transcendent that can never fade away. ”

“ Out to the buoy and back again—the Trout came in ahead.
“It’s all because he shunned advice,” Mr. Trout with a chuckle said.
“Ah, very well done! I think you’ll do—your work, to patrol the shore,
And when you see any men with clubs don’t tarry a moment more, [Pg 23]
But hurry to warn me as I take in the surf my morning bath”,—
Mr. Frog stood by with moistened eye—his tears were not of wrath,
As his friend, Mr. Trout, on the shore about, in pain began to flop,—
“Oh, you’re no good,” called Mr. Seal. “The one who serves me must hop!” ”

“ I pray you, don’t dwell in this town overcrowded;
There are others near by it most wondrous fair;
The roads that lead to them—and each one is open,—
Are “Push,” “Pluck,” and “Ready,” “This minute,” and “Dare.” [Pg 37] WITH THOSE WHO CAN’T KEEP UP
It is human nature maybe to be borne ’long with the crowd,
And when they shout and hollo, to hollo just as loud;
But there’s a sight o’ pleasure like a draught from nectar’s cup,
In just a-loitering back along with those who can’t keep up. ”

“ At the jingle of the sleighbells dance off lighter than a feather,—
How the jingle,
An’ the ringle,
Raises lowest spirits high!
Hark! the tingle,
Jingle, tingle!
As the cutter dashes by!
When the moon is bright a-shinin’ an’ a-sparkle is the snow,
’Tis the plainest invitation just invitin’ one to go
For a rollic an’ a frolic ’hind a pair of prancin’ steeds,—
The very kind of tonic that a tired body needs,—
How the jingle,
An’ the ringle,
In the crisp an’ frosty air,
An’ the tingle,
Jingle, tingle,
Hypnotizes anxious care! [Pg 40]
E’en the stars are all a-twinkle! ”

“ Yet to each one just as dear
As yours to you! BRIDGES WE NEVER CROSS
We fall in the habit too often I fear,
Of crossing the bridges we never draw near;
Though they loom up before us—they seem just ahead,
There’s a turn and our feet are in other paths led.
We dread the to-morrow, its toil and its care,
And feel that its burdens we never can bear;
But when the to-morrow blends into to-day,
The yesterday’s burdens have all slipped away!
Too often we hear: “Yes ”

“ One needn’t think the only men God ever made are those
Who wear the finest linen and the latest cut in clothes,—
I find patriotism, honor, and fidelity to truth,
In the man whose outward bearing often is the most uncouth.
In the weather-beaten cottage where the eaves ’most touch the door,
Whose shingles are quite hidden with the moss that’s gathered o’er,
There is still the old-time altar, where duly morn and night, [Pg 38]
The inmates bow and ask the Lord to guide their steps aright. ”

“ That in the town of Discontent were many dwelling there,
Who wished for this and wished for that (it really was too bad) ,
It made but little difference what, long’s ’t wasn’t what they had!
Accordingly, he stuffed his pack (and tied around a band) ,
With every single kind of wish now found within the land,
And fared he forth from house to house, to please the people all,
And dealt out every kind of wish for which he had a call.
To one ’twas wealth—a sordid wish; another called for joy; [Pg 53]
One asked for ease; one beauty took—a worthless sort of toy! ”

“ So I like to loiter back a bit; the crowd may surge along.
Perhaps for some it’s pleasant thus to jostle with the throng;
But I find my life grows richer, even drinking sorrow’s cup,
With the weary and unfortunate who cannot quite keep up! HEROES
There are heroes who fall ’mid the carnage of battle,
There are those who meet death on the foam,—
But greater are those who, unheralded, battle
With Fate for the loved ones at home! [Pg 39] IN SLEIGHING TIME
There is magic in the jingle of the sleighbells, don’t you know,
That sets the blood a-tinglin’ till the cheeks are all a-glow ”

“ Trout’s advice, and this is the reason why,—
“To know but one craft—one’s chance to succeed in life is lessened thereby;
So I think I’ll go on in the same old way my fathers did before,—
Their skill in swimming was none the less for the fact that they hopped on shore!”
At last it was time for Frog and Trout their lifework to begin,
So they eagerly scanned the papers o’er to see what “ads” were in.
One day they found among the “wants” a place with tip-top pay,
And they packed their grips and started out at dawn the following day. ”

“ But it’s a weather breeder, sure’s you are born!”
So, much of God’s sunshine and beauty about
Is forced from our lives by “perhaps” or a doubt!
Make use of the present—to-morrow may wait,—
To-day’s joys to-morrow are realized too late!
Let none of life’s pleasures, God-given, be lost,
By crossing a bridge—till it has to be crossed! [Pg 36] A POOR TOWN TO LIVE IN
There’s a queer little town—I wonder if you’ve seen it,—
“Let-some-one-else-do-it” is the name of the place,
And all of the people who’ve lived there for ages,
Their family tree from the Wearies can trace! ”

“ That jack-knives like birds flew about,
(To fill up his pocket—all one had to do,
Was to chase them a moment about) ;
That every pebble or stone by the road
Was a coin, either silver or gold;
That it took but a minute to gather them up,—
As many’s you could possibly hold!
“How splendid to live in this wonderful land!”
And he gave his blue cap a slight twirl;
“I’d stay here forever—if it weren’t I’m afraid
I might wake up to-morrow a girl!” HARD THINGS
Love makes not hard things easy ”