ay,
But must follow the path, by good men trod,
To rise to the heights of life and God.

Elliott

Dear little cherub, from isles of the blest,
What is your destiny? What is your quest?
Have you been watching us with your bright eyes
Till you thought you would come as a cunning surprise?
Did you see that this house lacked a baby so sweet
To widen the circle and make it complete?
Did you see from your perch in the realms up above
The sweet mother-heart overflowing with love?
You thought it so precious, you flew to her breast,
You sought it and found it, and found, too, your rest--
Your refuge from sorrow; your fortress so strong,
May you rest in it, dwell in it, cherish it long.
You are welcome as dewdrops when parched are the flowers;
You will brighten the days till they shrink into hours.
May heaven watch over you, fill you with joy,
And bless the whole circle, in you, little boy.

[Illustration: "THREE LITTLE KITTENS"]

Three Little Kittens

Three little kittens, black, white and gray,
Went out in the garden one morning to play.
Said the white one, "I want to play hide and go seek,
'Tis long since we played it, much more than a week."
"All right," said the gray, "I'm ready for fun,"
And he started away with a hop and a run.
"Just wait," said the black with an ominous growl,
His face wrinkled up in the crookedest scowl.
"It's an old-fashioned game--I shan't play at that,
It is not becoming a stylish young cat;
I'll sport with the leaves or I'll play in the sun,
But it's tiresome, unpleasant and foolish to run."
The others agreed in a good-natured way,
And the three little kittens began then to play;
The dead leaves went flying to right and to left,
All three, for a time seemed of senses bereft;
But something went wrong--"I say that's not fair,"
The black kitten cried--"and to play I don't care"--
The gray and the white coaxed him hard for awhile,
But nothing would cause him to speak or to smile,
So they left him alone and hied them away--
"Hide and seek" 'mongst the roses and lilacs to play.
He heard their gay laughter and sullener grew--
The sun was too hot--the skies were too blue,
The grass, he was certain, was damp where he lay,
All things had conspired to annoy him that day,
He could bear neither sunshine, the mirth that he heard,
The hum of the bees, nor the chirp of a bird.
How sil