And at last, with a curse on the hopeless strife,

He will knock at the Border Gate

As he slings his hat in the face of Life,

And his boots in the teeth of Fate.

[174]
]
BETWEEN TWO GATES.

“Good-day! Good-day, my ancient friend!”

We threw our swags beside the track—

For twenty solid years on end,

Spent as Life’s spendthrifts only spend,