enter place to be--
The frogs and the bats and Little Brother,
The pariah dogs and me.

He was a Rajah once on a time
Who is Little Brother now;
And I know it is all for monstrous crime
Or shamefully broken vow
That he slinks in the dust and eats alone
With a pious tongue and free;
For a holy man is Little Brother,
As beggars ought to be.

But whether he lurks in the morning light
Where the tall plantations grow,
Or wanders the village fields by nights
Telling of ancient woe;
Or whether he's making a sporting run
For me and a dog or two,
An uncanny beast is Little Brother
For Christian eyes to view.

For there comes an hour at the full o' the moon
When the Boh-tree blossoms fall,
And a devil comes out of the afternoon
And has him a night in thrall;
And he hunts till dawn like a questing hound
For souls that have lost their way;
And it's well to be clear of Little Brother
Till the good gods bring the day.

Wherefore I think I will end my song
Wishing him fair good night,
For Little Brother's got something wrong
That'll never on earth come right;
And this perhaps is the honest truth,
And the wisest folk agree,
The less I know about Little Brother
The better by far for me.

* * * * *

HOME THOUGHTS FROM THE TRENCHES.

Old mother mine, at times I find
Pauses when fighting's done
That make me lonesome and inclined
To think of those I left behind--
And most of all of one.

At home you're knitting woolly things--
They're meant for me for choice;
There's rain outside, the kettle sings
In sobs and frolics till it brings
Whispers that seem a voice.

Cheer up! I'm calling, far away;
And, wireless, you can hear.
Cheer up! you know you'd have me stay
And keep on trying day by day;
We're winning, never fear.

Although to have me back's your prayer--
I'm willing it should be--
You'd never breathe a word to spare
Yourself, and stop me playing fair;
You're braver far than me.

So let your dear face twist a smile
The way it used to do;
And keep on cheery all the while,
Rememb'ring hating's not your style--
Germans have mothers too.

And when the work is through, and when
I'm coming home to find
The one who sent me out, ah! then
I'll make you (bless you) laugh again,
Old sw