My Dad and IWhen I was but a little child
Small love notes I would write
And quietly slip them to my Dad
When he came home at night;
I'd run and climb upon his knee
And with the tenderest care
I'd wipe the dampness from his brow
And smooth his ruffled hair.
And then his lunch box I would take
And eagerly I would see
If there was any pie or cake
Left in the box for me.
And then when Christmas time came 'round
To Santa, notes I'd write.
How funny that they disappeared
When Dad came home at night.
He's toiled and worked for many years
to raise his family,
And now I've grown I often think
How much he did for me.
I know I never will forget
How much my Daddy did.
I know he loves me just the same
As when I was a kid.-Eva Collins
TO MY MOTHEROh Mother dear whene'er I think
Of how your heart has had to ache
And how the tears you've bravely hid
And all of this for just my sake,
I think indeed my heart will break.
For though I've often caused you pain
By thoughtless words and deeds and too
Have been neglectful of small things
That might have meant a lot to you,
And though I cannot half repay
The debt of love I owe,
How many times my heart has ached
Because of this, you'll never know.
Your patience, gentleness and love,
Your ready sympathy
Have always seemed and still do seem
A miracle to me.
Though many floods of trouble rolled
Their stormy waters at your feet,
Your faith has always stood the test
You still remain so good and sweet.
If I can only be like that,
This is my aim, no other,
I'll thank the Lord with all my heart
I had you for my Mother.-Eva Collins
A GOLDEN WEDDING
(My Parents)To your memory comes a vision
Tender thoughts creep in your heart
Of the day you made a promise
To be true "till death doth part."You were young and gay and happy,
Life to you seemed quite complete,
But the crowning touch was added
When a babe played at your feet.Came another and still others,
The family circle was complete,
Cares and worries heaped upon you
Raising children is quite a feat.But one day a cloud of sorrow
Threw its shadow o'er your dome,
For the family ring was broken
God had called one of them home.Fifty years of joy and sorrow
Through your married life have sped
And it seems as if 'twere yesterday,
The day that you were wed.Our sincere congratulations!
We extend and also say
"May God bless you both dear parents
On this golden wedding day."-Eva Clark July 23, 1932
Eva Mae had worked in an ammunition factory in 1918 and for almost 10 years as a stenographer before giving up the working-for-pay life to be a stay-at-home mother. Here she shows her thoughts on the matter:LIFE
An office is a nice place to work,
And acquaintances make life seem bright.
The money you earn buys a lot of nice things
That fill a girl's heart with delight.The books often seem to be human
They find a small place in your heart
And it makes you feel blue when you think
That some day from them you might part.But an office, no matter how pleasant,
The place of your home cannot take
For the chairs are so hard and you cannot lie down
When you suffer from back or head ache.Acquaintances sometimes deceive you,
Your faith in them seems to turn cold,
You grow tired of your books and everyone's looks
And life now no interest doth hold.The money you slaved for has vanished,
Your work seems to have been all in vain,
Your beautiful clothes bring no comfort,
Your pleasures melt like snow after rain.I'm speaking to young married ladies
Who find staying home such a bore
Tis a baby you need, your life to complete
Then happiness - you'd ask for no more.For offices, papers and book and all that
Are all very well in their place
But the smiles of the "Bunch" can never compare
With the smiles on a dear baby's face.A typewriter's click may sound good to you,
It does seem quite nice, tis a fact,
But the chatter and prattle of a sweet little babe
Will always by far surpass that.For a baby is a gift from God,
Those scorning this gift miss a lot,
And the blessings and joys that a baby can bring
Are things that can never be bought. -Eva Clark