Go forth, thou little volume,
I leave thee to thy fate!
To those who read thee faithfully
Thy leaves I dedicate.
But if your fate should be so sad
As mine who thee have writ,
I'd be so vexed to think that I
Had made such a poor "hit."
But if by chance you meet a friend
Along life's road so dreary,
Just cheer his mind till he is blind,
And never make him weary.
Teach him the way, the live-long day,
To lend a helping hand,
And never turn or even spurn
Those wrecked on life's hard strand.
If chance should be you return to me,
Along with harvest's golden,