In the evening of our days, When the first far stars above Glimmer dimmer, through the haze, Than the dewy eyes of love, Shall we mournfully revert To the vanished morns and Mays Of our youth, with hearts that hurt,-- In the evening of our days? II Shall the hand that holds your own Till the twain are thrilled as now, Be withheld, or colder grown? Shall my kiss upon your brow Falter from its high estate? And, in all forgetful ways, Shall we sit apart and wait-- In the evening of our days? III Nay, my wife--my life!--the gloom Shall enfold us velvetwise, And my smile shall be the groom Of the gladness of your eyes: Gently, gently as the dew Mingles with the darkening maze, I shall fall asleep with you-- In the evening of our days. [Illustration] JIM He was jes a plain, ever'-day, all-round kind of a jour., Consumpted-lookin'--but la! The jokiest, wittiest, story-tellin', song-singin', laughin'est, jolliest Feller you ever saw! Worked at jes coarse work, but you kin bet he was fine enough in his talk, And his feelin's, too! Lordy! ef he was on'y back on his bench ag'in to-day, a-carryin' on Like he ust to do! Any shop-mate'll tell you there never was, on top o' dirt, A better feller'n Jim! You want a favor, and couldn't git it anywheres else-- You could git it o' him! Most free-heartedest man thataway in the world, I guess! Give up ever' nickel he's worth-- And, ef you'd a-wanted it, and named it to him, and it was his, He'd a-give you the earth! Allus a-reachin' out, Jim was, and a-he'ppin' some Pore feller onto his feet-- He'd a-never a-keered how hungry he was hisse'f, So's _the feller_ got somepin' to eat! Didn't make no differ'nee at all to him how _he_ was dressed, He ust to say to me,-- "You togg out a tramp purty comfortable in winter-time, a-huntin' a job, And he'll git along!" says he. [Illustration] Jim didn't have, ner never could git ahead, so overly much O' this world's goods at a time.-- 'Fore now I've saw him, more'n one't, lend a dollar, and haf to, more'n like, Turn round and borry a dime! Mebby laugh and joke about it hisse'f fer a while--then jerk his coat. And kindo' square his chin, Tie on his apern, and squat hisse'f on his old shoe-bench, And go to peggin' ag'in! Patientest feller, too, I reckon, 'at ever jes natchurly Coughed hisse'f to death! Long enough after his voice was lost he'd laugh in a whisper and say He could git ever'thing but his breath-- "_You fellers_," he'd sorto' twinkle his eyes and say, "Is a-pilin' onto me A mighty big debt fer that-air little weak-chested ghost o' mine to pack Through all Eternity!"