O make us day by day like Him to grow; More pure and good, more dutiful and meek; Because He loves those who obey Him so; Because His love is the best thing to seek, Because without His love, all loves are weak,-- All earthly joys are miserable and poor, All earthly goodness quickly droops and dies, Like rootless flowers you plant in gardens--sure That they will flourish--till in mid-day skies The sun burns, and they fade before your eyes. O God, who art alone the life and light Of this strange world to which as babes we come, Keep Thou us always children in Thy sight: Guide us from year to year, thro' shine and gloom And at our year's end, Father, take us home. RUNNING AFTER THE RAINBOW "WHY thus aside your playthings throw, Over the wet lawn hurrying so? Where are you going, I want to know?" "I'm running after the rainbow." "Little boy, with your bright brown eyes Full of an innocent surprise, Stop a minute, my Arthur wise, What do you want with the rainbow?" Arthur paused in his headlong race, Turned to his mother his hot, young face, "Mother, I want to reach the place At either end of the rainbow. "Nurse says, wherever it meets the ground. Such beautiful things may oft be found Buried below, or scattered round, If one can but catch the rainbow. "O please don't hinder me, mother dear, It will all be gone while I stay here;" So with many a hope and not one fear, The child ran after the rainbow. Over the damp grass, ankle deep, Clambering up the hilly steep, And the wood where the birds were going to sleep, But he couldn't catch the rainbow. And when he came out at the wood's far side, The sun was setting in golden pride, There were plenty of clouds all rainbow dyed, But not a sign of the rainbow. Said Arthur, sobbing, as home he went, "I wish I had thought what mother meant; I wish I had only been content, And not ran after the rainbow." And as he came sadly down the hill, Stood mother scolding--but smiling still, And hugged him up close, as mothers will: So he quite forgot the rainbow. DICK AND I WE'RE going to a party, my brother Dick and I: The best, grandest party we ever did try: And I'm very happy--but Dick is so shy! I've got a white ball-dress, and flowers in my hair, And a scarf, with a brooch too, mamma let me wear: Silk stockings, and shoes with high heels, I declare! There is to be music--a real soldier's band: And _I_ mean to waltz, and eat ice, and be fanned, Like a grown-up young lady, the first in the land.