[Illustration]

  Some go a-gypsying out in country places—­
    Out through the orchards, with blossoms on the boughs
  Wild, sweet, and pink and white as their own glad faces;
    And some go, at evening, calling home the cows.

[Illustration]

  Where go the children?  Travelling!  Travelling!
    Where go the children, travelling ahead?
  Some go to foreign wars, and camps by the firelight—­
    Some go to glory so; and some go to bed!

[Illustration]

  Some go through grassy lanes leading to the city—­
    Thinner grow the green trees and thicker grows the dust;
  Ever, though, to little people any path is pretty
    So it leads to newer lands, as they know it must. 
  Some go to singing less; some go to list’ning;
    Some go to thinking over ever-nobler themes;
  Some go anhungered, but ever bravely whistling,
    Turning never home again only in their dreams.

  Where go the children?  Travelling!  Travelling!
    Where go the children, travelling ahead?
  Some go to conquer things; some go to try them;
    Some go to dream them; and some go to bed!

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

* * * * *

[Illustration:  ELMER BROWN]

ELMER BROWN

[Illustration]

  Awf’lest boy in this-here town
  Er anywheres is Elmer Brown! 
  He’ll mock you—­yes, an’ strangers, too,
  An’ make a face an’ yell at you,—­
    “Here’s the way you look!”

[Illustration]

  Yes, an’ wunst in School one day,
  An’ Teacher’s lookin’ wite that way,
  He helt his slate, an’ hide his head,
  An’ maked a face at her, an’ said,—­
    “Here’s the way you look!”

[Illustration]

  An’ sir! when Rosie Wheeler smile
  One morning at him ’crosst the aisle,
  He twist his face all up, an’ black
  His nose wiv ink, an’ whisper back,—­
    “Here’s the way you look!”

[Illustration]

  Wunst when his Aunt’s all dressed to call,
  An’ kiss him good-bye in the hall,
  An’ latch the gate an’ start away,
  He holler out to her an’ say,—­
    “Here’s the way you look!”

[Illustration]

  An’ when his Pa he read out loud
  The speech he maked, an’ feel so proud
  It’s in the paper—­Elmer’s Ma
  She ketched him—­wite behind his Pa,—­
    “Here’s the way you look!”

[Illustration]

  Nen when his Ma she slip an’ take
  Him in the other room an’ shake
  Him good! w’y, he don’t care—­no-sir!—­
  He ist look up an’ laugh at her,—­
    “Here’s the way you look!”