baker THREE POEMS 43 



Courage, darlings, upward look; 

 Wipe the dewdrop tears away 

 From your azure eyes, I pray, 

 For no enemy is near. 



A Mystery 



Whence came, on the horse-chestnut's bark, 



Those curious hoof -prints, wee? 

 Did some sweet maid of Fairyland 



In bygone days once flee 

 From a pursuing ugly dwarf 



For refuge to the tree? 



And did some gallant elfin knight, 



Mounted on fleet winged steed, 

 Half fly, half gallop up the trunk 



To aid her in her need 71 

 And do these prints remain to-day 



Memorials of his deed? 



And was the dwarf in combat slain? 



And did the maiden plight, 

 In gratitude, her heart and hand 



Unto the brave young knight? 

 And were the couple, afterward, 



Forever happy, quite? 



Indian Fairies 



I'm sure that Indian fairies lived 



In days of long ago, 

 And danced their Indian dances, queer, 



By fireflies' fitful glow; 

 With blooms of moccasin flowers, I think, 



Their dainty feet were shod, 

 And in their raven hair were plumes 



Of yellow golden-rod. 



Fknow they battled and hunted, too, 



With leaves of arrowhead; 

 And, since they had no bark canoes, 



