POETICAL FAVORITES RECOMPENSE BY EDWIN M. ABBOTT What is the price of manhood? The purest soul to trample down To cause mankind to stay The mold wherein we're cast; Is black, corrupt impurity The flag flung from life's mast? Forget not. One is watching, Our actions, day by day, And riches gained at such a cost For though mankind is judging The God, the just the righteous Judge. LEEDLE YAWCOB STRAUSS BY CHARLES FOLLEN ADAMS I haf got a leedle boy Vot gomes schust to my knee; Der queerest schap, der greatest rogue As efer you dit see; He runs and jumps, and smashes dings But vot of dot? he vas mine son, He get der measles und der mumbs, He sbills mine glass of lager beer, Poots schnuff indo mine kraut; He fills my pipe mit Limburg cheese,- He dakes der milk ban for a dhrum, Mine cracious, dot vas drue! He kicks oup sooch a touse- He asks me questions sooch as dese: How gan I all dose dings eggsblain To dot shmall Yawcob Strauss? I somedimes dink I schall go Mit sooch a grazy poy, vild Und vish vonce more I gould haf rest Und beaceful dimes enshoy; But ven he was ashleep in ped So guiet as a mouse, I brays der Lord, "Dake anydings, But leaf dot Yawcob Strauss." MOTHER'S DOUGHNUTS El Dorado, 1851 BY CHARLES FOLLEN ADAMS I've just been down ter Thompson's, boys, 'N feelin' kind o' blue, I thought I'd look in at "The Ranch," "Here's whar yer get your doughnuts I've seen a grizzly show his teeth, A sort o' mist shut out the ranch, The smell wuz that of doughnuts Like my mother used ter make. The bees wuz hummin' round the porch Whar honeysuckles grew; A yellow dish of apple-sass Wuz settin' thar in view. 'N on the table, by the stove, An old-time" Johnny-cake," 'N a platter full of doughnuts Like my mother used ter make. A patient form I seemed ter see, I almost thought I heard the words, When will my boy come back?" 'N then But now it was the boss who spake: "Here's whar yer gets yer doughnuts Like yer mother used ter make." Well, boys, that kind o' broke me up, 'N ez I've "struck pay gravel," I ruther think I'll pack my kit, Vamoose the ranch, 'n travel. I'll make the old folks jubilant, 'N if I don't mistake, I'll try some o' them doughnuts |