Where is the blithe companion gone, Whose sports he lov'd to guide and share?

"David!" Two blithe baby voices answered her from the rear porch.

For a vision came to him of blithe mornings when he should sit on the top of the corral fence rolling a cigarette, while some other puncher went into the herd and roped and saddled his horse.

Through broad glades deep-hid within the wild; by shady alleyway and leafy track they held their march south and by east, a close, well-ordered company striding long and free and waking the solitudes to a blithe babblement of laughing echoes.

CHAPTER V A MAD PRANK OF THE GODS A week after the publication of that blithe bit of acrimony which opens this tale, Colonel J. Rodney Potts, recreated and natty in a new summer suit of alpaca, his hat freshly ironed, sued the town of Little Arcady for ten thousand dollar damages to his person and announced his candidacy at the ensuing election for the honorable office of Judge of Slocum County.

"But, O blithe breeze!

In private lifethat is to say when he is out of the pulpit and off general dutyhe is an affable, clear, merry, brisk-talking little gentleman, fond of a good joke, a blithe chat, and a hearty laugh.

Taken all in all, it would have been hard to find a merrier crowd than that which sped over the smooth yellow road on this perfect summer day, and many a bird, balancing himself on a blossoming twig, ceased his ecstatic outpouring of melody to listen to the blithe chorus of these earth birds, as they sang, "Hey Ho for Merry June," and "Let the Hills and Dales Resound," each machineful trying its best to outdo the others.

And the blithe commander, in the seclusion of his tent, standing over the lad and holding him tenderly by both pretty ears, preached to him of his sister and grandmother until with mute rage the youngster burned as red as his jacket facings; and then of the Callenders"who gave us our guns, and one of whom is the godmother of our flag, Charlie"until the tears filled Charlie's eyes, and he said: "I'll try, Captain, but it'soh, it's no use!

This quarrel being accorded between them, and come to a fair end, the King related to that blithe company the story of this adventure.

When the mills are in full work, the streets are busy with heavy loads of twist and cloth; and the workpeople hurry in blithe crowds to and from the factories, full of life and glee, for factory labour is not so hurtful to healthy life as it was thirty years ago, nor as some people think it now, who don't know much about it.

But upon a certain blithe evening Black Roger stood leaning on his bow-stave to watch where Beltane swam the pool with mighty strokes, who, laughing for very joy of it, presently sprang ashore, panting with his exertions, and fell to donning his garments.

" At the same moment the doctor came in, with a blithe face.

But by what sad chance have these blithe fellows been disjointed?

" So in a while, the horses tethered, behold them within a leafy bower eating and drinking and laughing like the blithe foresters they were, until, their hunger assuaged, they made ready to mount.

Whilom Fitzwater, in fair England's court, Possess'd felicity and happy state, And in his hall blithe fortune kept her sport, Which glee one hour of woe did ruinate.

With these blithe friends our voyage we renewed At early dawn.

Who loves not Christalan for his blithe grace?

I am grown a wiser and a sadder man, importunate, like that Ancient Mariner, to tell each blithe wedding guest the tale of his shipwreck on the infinite sea of printers' ink, as one escaped by mercy and grace from the region where there is water, water, everywhere, and not a drop to drink.

This time it was Dave Cowan who thwarted her with a blithe hail from the gate.

He was swept off his feet by the radiant Princessthe Scheherezade of his boyhood dreams; his blithe heart thumped as it had not done since he was a boy.

She was too young to make the anxious lines upon her forehead seem at home there, too patient to be burdened with the labor others should have shared, too light of heart to be pent up when earth and sky were keeping a blithe holiday.

A lonely pair Of strangers, till day closed, we sailed along, 385 Clustered together with a merry crowd Of those emancipated, a blithe host Of travellers, chiefly delegates returning From the great spousals newly solemnised At their chief city, in the sight of Heaven.

He had fanciedin his blithe ignorance of the seventeen-year-old ladies of the present daythat he could engineer himself into a worthwhile conversation with the Lawrences.

His blithe insouciance was irresistibly charming.