“I can recite a little,” said Rollo, modestly.
“Do so,” commanded his hostess.
Rollo was an obliging little boy and therefore, standing in the middle of the room, he recited as follows, with appropriate gestures which he had carefully learned at school:
“THE STRAND”
“One day while strolling on the strand
A pearly shell lay in my hand.
I stooped and wrote upon the sand
My name, the place, the day.
As on my onward way I passed
One backward glance behind I cast,
The rolling waves came high and fast
And washed my name away!”
“Bravo!” cried Miss Stark and Uncle George.
“I thank you very much,” said Rollo.
“It is a great poem,” said Miss Stark. “It sounds simple but it means more than it says. It has its devious moments. You notice that though the ‘name’ is washed away the ‘place’ and the ‘day’ remain. I have just written something myself in the same manner.”