To sweetly sing all day?

"Dear Father, help me with the love
That casteth out my fear!
Teach me to lean on Thee, and feel
That Thou art very near;
That no temptation is unseen,
No childish grief too small,
Since Thou, with patience infinite,
Doth soothe and comfort all.

"I do not ask for any crown
But that which all may win;
Nor seek to conquer any world
Except the one within.
Be Thou my guide until I find,
Led by a tender hand,
Thy happy kingdom in _myself_,
And dare to take command."

"I like that!" said Ben, emphatically, when he had read the little hymn.
"I understand it, and I'll learn it right away. Don't see how she could
make it all come out so nice and pretty."

"Celia can do anything," and Thorny gave an all-embracing wave of the
hand, which forcibly expressed his firm belief in his sister's boundless
powers.

"I made some poetry once. Bab and Betty thought it was first-rate. _I_
didn't," said Ben, moved to confidence by the discovery of Miss Celia's
poetic skill.

"Say it," commanded Thorny, adding with tact, "_I_ can't make any to save
my life--never could; but I'm fond of it."

"Chevalita,
Pretty creter,
I do love her
Like a brother;
Just to ride
Is my delight,
For she does not
Kick or bite,"

recited Ben, with modest pride, for his first attempt had been inspired by
sincere affection and pronounced "lovely" by the admiring girls.

"Very good! You must say them to Celia, too. She likes to hear Lita
praised. You and she and that little Barlow boy ought to try for a prize,
as the poets did in Athens. I'll tell you all about it some time. Now, you
peg away at your hymn."

Cheered by Thorny's commendation, Ben fell to work at his new task,
squirming about in the chair as if the process of getting words into his
memory was a very painful one. But he had quick wits, and had often
learned comic songs; so he soon was able to repeat the four verses without
mistake, much to his own and Thorny's satisfaction.

"Now we'll talk," said the well-pleased preceptor, and talk they did, one
swinging in the hammock, the other rolling about on the pine-needles, as
they related their experiences boy-fashion. Ben's were the most exciting,
but Thorny's were not without interest, for he had lived abroad for
several years, and could tell all sorts of droll stories of the countries