"Once more with my gun on my shoulder and my favorite dog trailing at my heels I walked through the pathless wood and sat on the old familiar logs and stumps, and as I sat and listened to the wild, weird harmonies of nature, a vision of the past opened. The squirrel from the limb of the tree barked defiantly and I threw myself into an interrogation point, and when the gun cracked, the squirrel fell at my feet. I grabbed him and ran home to throw him down and receive compliments for my skill as a marksman. And I saw the tapestry of the evening fall. I heard the lowing herds and saw them wind slowly o'er the lea and I listened to the tinkling bells that lulled the distant fowl. Once more I heard the shouts of childish glee. Once more I climbed the haystack for the hen's eggs. Once more we crossed the threshold and sat at our frugal meal. Once more mother drew the trundle bed out from under the larger one, and we boys, kneeling down, shut our eyes and clasping our little hands, said: 'Now I lay me down to sleep; I pray the Lord, my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray thee, Lord, my soul to take. And this I ask for Jesus' sake, Amen.' "'Backward, turn backward, O time in thy flight, Make me a child again, just for tonight, Mother, come back from that echoless shore, Take me again to your heart as of yore. Into the old cradle I'm longing to creep, Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep.' "I stood beneath the old oak tree and it seemed to carry on a conversation with me. It seemed to say: "'Hello Bill. Is that you?' "'Yes, it's I, old tree.' "'Well, you've got a bald spot on the top of your head. "'Yes, I know, old tree.' "'Won't you climb up and sit on my limbs as you used to?' "'No, I haven't got time now. I'd like to, though, awfully well.' "'Don't go, Bill. Don't you remember the old swing you made?' "'Yes, I remember; but I've got to go.' "'Say Bill, don't you remember when you tried to play George Washington and the cherry tree and almost cut me down? That's the scar you made, but it's almost covered over now.' "'Yes, I remember all, but I haven't time to stay.' "'Are you comin' back, Bill?' "'I don't know, but I'll never forget you.' "Then the old apple tree seemed to call me and I said: 'I haven't time to wait, old apple tree.' "'I want to go back to the orchard, The orchard that used to be mine, The apples are reddening and filling The air with their wine. I want to run on through the pasture And let down the dusty old bars, I want to find you there still waiting, Your eyes like the twin stars. Oh, nights, you are weary and dreary, And days, there is something you lack; To the farm in the valley, I want to go back.'