Oh, there's not a man alive but that would give his all to be The stubby little fellow that in dreamland he can see, And the splendors that surround him and the joys about him spread Only seem to rise to taunt him with the boyhood that has fled. When the hair about the temples starts to show Time's silver stain, Then the richest man that's living yearns to be a boy again. {188} AS FALL THE LEAVES As fall the leaves, so drop the days In silence from the tree of life; Born for a little while to blaze In action in the heat of strife, And then to shrivel with Time's blast And fade forever in the past. In beauty once the leaf was seen; To all it offered gentle shade; Men knew the splendor of its green That cheered them so, would quickly fade: And quickly, too, must pass away All that is splendid of to-day. To try to keep the leaves were vain: Men understand that they must fall; Why should they bitterly complain When sorrows come to one and all? Why should they mourn the passing day That must depart along the way? INDEX Answering Him....................... 126 Apple Tree, The..................... 68 As Fall the Leaves.................. 188 At the Door......................... 132 Autumn at the Orchard............... 136 Be a Friend......................... 97 Bear Story, A....................... 134 Boy That Was, The................... 186 Breakfast Time, At.................. 50 Bumps and Bruises Doctor, The....... 107 Canning Time........................ 66 Can't............................... 52 Care-Free Youth..................... 78 Challenge........................... 145 Courage............................. 72 Defeat.............................. 111 Division............................ 141 Dull Road, The...................... 67 Duty................................ 133 Duty to Our Flag, Our............... 58 Easy World, An...................... 158 Epicure, The........................ 74 Eternal Friendship.................. 167 Expectation......................... 176 Failures............................ 83 Faith............................... 168 Father.............................. 46 Father and Son...................... 128 Fishing Cure, The................... 102 Finer Thought, The.................. 164 Finest Age, The..................... 76 Folks............................... 36 Friend's Greeting, A................ 32 Gentle Gardener, The................ 75 Going Home for Christmas, On........ 24 Gratitude........................... 179 Greatness........................... 73 Guessing Time....................... 148