DANA W. BARTLETT, in Our Governtnert in Social Service, or a Nation at Work in Human Uplift.

DECEMBER 19.

“BACK THERE.”

  “Back there,” the gambler-wind the snow is shuffling,
    Flake after flake down—­dealing in despair;
  The bladeless field, the birdless thicket muffling,
  But now no more the river’s stillness ruffling. 
      Oh, bitter is the sky, and blank its stare—­
          Back there!

  “Back there,” the wires are down.  The blizzard, meaning
    No good to man or beast, shakes loose his hair. 
  The storm-bound train and locomotive preening
  His sable plume, the ferry-boat, careening
      Between the ice-cakes, icy fringes wear—­
          Back there!

TRACY and LUCY ROBINSON,
in Out West.

DECEMBER 20.

“OUT HERE.”

  “Out Here,” a mocker trills his carol olden,
    High-perched upon some eucalyptus near. 
  The meadow lark replies; oranges golden
  Peer from the green wherewith they are enfolden,
      And perfume fills the winey atmosphere—­
          Out Here!

  “Out Here,” through virgin soil, in sunlight mellow—­
    Ay, and in moonlight!—­man his plow may steer,
  Nor lose life’s edge in friction with his fellow;
  Nor, parchment-bound, with yellowing creeds turn yellow,
      But feel his heart grow younger every year—­
          Out Here!

TRACY and LUCY ROBINSON,
in Out West.

DECEMBER 21.

HAPPY HEART.

  As I go lightly on my way
    I hear the flowers and grasses talk: 
    I listen to the gray-beard rock: 
  I know what ’tis the tree-tops say. 
    A thousand comrades with me walk
  As I go lightly on my way.

  As I go lightly on my way
    A bonnie bird a greeting sings,
    And gossip from a far clime brings;
  A grumbling bee growls out “Good-day”;
    A jest the saucy chipmonk flings,
  As I go lightly on my way.

  As I go lightly on my way
    The brook trips by with dancing feet,
    And Song and Laughter soft repeat
  Their cadence as I watch its play;
    And whispers low the wind, and sweet,
  As I go lightly on my way.

CHARLES E. JENNEY,
in Country Life in America, September, 1902.

DECEMBER 22.

EUCALYPTUS BLOSSOMS.

  I fell asleep beneath a fragrant
  Arrow-leafed tree;
  And all night long its drooping branches
  Showered sweet dreams on me. 
  But when the dawn-wind stirred the tree tops
  I saw, oh wondrous sight! 
  My dreams, pale spheres amid the leafage,
  Ethereal, poised for flight.