Poems

LAUGH on, fair Cousins, for to you If friendship is an empty sound,
All life is joyous yet ;

And love an idle dream,
Your hearts have all things to pursue, If mirth, youth's playmate, feels
And nothing to regret;

fatigue And every flower to you is fair,

Too soon on life's long way,
And every month is May;
You've not been introduced to

Care,-
Laugh on, laugh on to-day!

Old Time will fling his clouds ere

long Upon those sunny eyes;

At least he'll run with you

a league ;Laugh on, laugh on to

day!

"AND EVERY FLOWER TO YOU IS FAIR :

AND EVERY MONTH IS MAY.”

The voice whose every word is song

Will set itself to sighs;
Your quiet slumbers—hopes and fears

Will chase their rest away:
To-morrow you'll be shedding tears,—

Laugh on, laugh on to-day!

Perhaps your eyes may grow more

bright
As childhood's hues depart;
You may be lovelier to the sight

And dearer to the heart;
You may be sinless still, and see

This earth still green and gay;
But what you are you will not be:

Laugh on, laugh on to-day!

Oh, yes, if any truth is found

In the dull schoolman's theme,

MY LITTLE COUSINS.

O'er me have many winters crept

With less of grief than joy;
But I have learn'd, and toil'd, and wept;

I am no more a boy!
I've never had the gout, 'tis true;

My hair is hardly gray;
But now I cannot laugh like you:

Laugh on, laugh on to-day!

I used to have as glad a face,

As shadowless a brow;
I once could run as blithe a race

As you are running now;
But never mind how I behave!

Don't interrupt your play;
And though I look so very grave,
Laugh on, laugh on to-day!

Winthrop M. Praed.

“YOU ARE JUST A PORCELAIN TRIFLE,

'BELLE MARQUISE,' JUST A THING OF PUFFS AND PATCHES.”

Painted by Maud Humphrey.

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