The Long Winter (Little House 6)

And yet there’s not one out of twenty

But thinks that his share is too small.

“Then what is the use of repining,

For where there’s a will there’s a way,

And tomorrow the sun may be shining,

Although it is cloudy today.

“Do you think that by sitting and sighing

You’ll ever obtain all you want?

It’s cowards alone that are crying

And foolishly saying, ‘I can’t!’

It is only by plodding and striving

And laboring up the steep hill

Of life, that you’ll ever be thriving

Which you’ll do if you’ve only the will.”

They were all humming the melody now and when the chorus came again, Mrs. Boast’s alto, Ma’s contralto, and Mary’s sweet soprano joined Mr. Boast’s tenor and Pa’s rich bass, singing the words, and Laura sang, too, soprano:

Then what is the use of repining,

For where there’s a will, there’s a way,

And tomorrow the sun may be shining,

Although it is cloudy today.”

And as they sang, the fear and the suffering of the long winter seemed to rise like a dark cloud and float away on the music. Spring had come. The sun was shining warm, the winds were soft, and the green grass growing.

The End