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HANS AS A POET
75

"The road is dusty, the road is long,
But we can cheer our way with song,
And as we ride with gladsome hearts——"

"Each one can wish he had some tarts,"

finished Tom, and continued:

"Or pies, or cakes, or ice-cream rare——
Good things that make a fellow stare!"

"Don't mention ice-cream!" cried Fred. "Oh, but wouldn't it be fine on such a hot day as this?"

"No ice-cream in this poetry," came from Songbird. "Listen!" and he went on:

"The road doth wind by forests deep,
Where soft the welcome shadows creep.
Down the valley, up the hill,
And then beside the rippling rill.
The welcome flowers line the way,
Throughout the livelong summer day,
The birds are flitting t'o and fro——"

"They love to flit and flit, you know,'

came from the irrepressible Tom, and he added:

"The bullfrog hops around the marsh,
His welcome note is rather harsh.
The lone mosquito shows his bill,
And, boring deep, secures his fill."

"Hold on, there!" came from Dick. "I draw the line on mosquitoes in poetry. They can do their own singing."