The dog sprawled out before me knows that huntin’ days are here,
‘Cause he dreams and seems to whimper that a flock o’ quail are near;
An’ the children playin’ checkers till it’s time to go to bed,
Callin’ me to settle questions whether black is beatin’ red;
Oh, these nights are filled with gladness, an’ I puff my pipe an’ smile,
An’ tell myself the struggle an’ the work are both worth while.

The flames are full o’ pictures that keep dancin’ to an’ fro,
Bringin’ back the scenes o’ gladness o’ the happy long ago,
An’ the whole wide world is silent an’ I tell myself just this—­
That within these walls I cherish, there is all my world there is! 
Can I keep the love abiding in these hearts so close to me,
An’ the laughter of these evenings, I shall gain life’s victory.

Memorial Day

These did not pass in selfishness; they died for all mankind;
They died to build a better world for all who stay behind;
And we who hold their memory dear, and bring them flowers to-day,
Should consecrate ourselves once more to live and die as they.

These were defenders of the faith and guardians of the truth;
That you and I might live and love, they gladly gave their youth;
And we who set this day apart to honor them who sleep
Should pledge ourselves to hold the faith they gave their lives to keep.

If tears are all we shed for them, then they have died in vain;
If flowers are all we bring them now, forgotten they remain;
If by their courage we ourselves to courage are not led,
Then needlessly these graves have closed above our heroes dead.

To symbolize our love with flowers is not enough to do;
We must be brave as they were brave, and true as they were true. 
They died to build a better world, and we who mourn to-day
Should consecrate ourselves once more to live and die as they.

The Happy Man

If you would know a happy man,
  Go find the fellow who
Has had a bout with trouble grim
  And just come smiling through.

The load is off his shoulders now,
  Where yesterday he frowned
And saw no joy in life, to-day
  He laughs his way around.

He’s done the very thing he thought
  That he could never do;
His sun is shining high to-day
  And all his skies are blue.

He’s stronger than he was before;
  Should trouble come anew
He’ll know how much his strength can bear
  And how much he can do.

To-day he has the right to smile,
  And he may gaily sing,
For he has conquered where he feared
  The pain of failure’s sting.

Comparison has taught him, too,
  The sweetest hours are those
Which follow on the heels of care,
  With laughter and repose.

If you would meet a happy man,
  Go find the fellow who
Has had a bout with trouble grim
  And just come smiling through.