THE VISION.

At the door of Success, I've been tempted to knock

Both the door and the man who went through it,

But I find that the fellow was greasing the lock

All the time that he strove to undo it,

So I either stay out, or must look for the key

Which slipped back the bolt which impeded,

And I'm certain to find it, as soon as I see

The reason my rival succeeded.

Yes, I own when the man is a rank also-ran

That I feel quite pish-tushy and pooh-y,

And exclaim if he ever knew saw-dust from bran,

Well — I come from just west of St. Louis!

But then, in the winning he's made, there's a hope

That I may do even as he did,

So I swallow my sneer and I study his dope

To discover just why he succeeded.

I've been up in the air, I've been down in the hole,

( But always, let's hope, on the level,)

And I've been on my uppers — so meagre my sole

‘ Twould scarcely have tempted the devil!

But it's nothing to you what I am, or I was,

And no whit of your sympathy's needed,

For I'm certain to win in the long run, because

I shall see how my rival succeeded.