THE spring will soon be here; the snow will disappear; the hens will
cluck, the colts will buck, as will the joyous steer. How sweet an April
morn! The whole world seems reborn; and ancient men waltz round again
and laugh their years to scorn. And grave and sober dames forsake their
quilting frames, and cut up rough, play blind man’s buff, and kindred
cheerful games. The pastors hate to preach; the teachers hate to teach;
they’d like to play baseball all day, or on the bleachers bleach. The
lawyer tires of law; the windsmith rests his jaw; they’d fain forget the
toil and sweat, and play among the straw. The spring’s the time for
play; let’s put our work away, with joyous spiels kick up our heels,
e’en though we’re old and gray. You see old Dobbin trot around the
barnyard lot, with flashing eye and tail on high, his burdens all
forgot. You see the muley cow that’s old and feeble now, turn
somersaults and prance and waltz, and stand upon her brow. The rooster,
old is he, and crippled as can be, yet on his toes he stands and crows
“My Country, ’Tis of Thee.” Shall we inspired galoots have less style
than the brutes? Oh, let us rise and fill the skies with echoing
toot-toots.
[Illustration]
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