Along the street a tiny pair
Of childish figures lately went;
The boy’ s face wore a fearless air,
The little sister’ s sweet content.
He closely clasped her chubby hand,
And led her through the throng, while she
Seemed perfectly to understand
He would protect her loyally.
And as I watched them pass from sight,
My heart began to ache, for so
I held my brother’ s fingers tight
And toddled down the long ago.
Then all at once, beyond control,
The tears uprose in blinding rain,
Such hopeless yearning stirred my soul
To lay my hand in his again!