It was Saturday night, and two children small,
Sat on the stairs in the lighted hall,
Vexed, and troubled, and sore perplexed,
To learn for Lord’s Day this beautiful text.
Only three words on a gilded card,
But both the children declared it hard.
“‘Love’, that is easy—it means this,”
(A warm embrace and a loving kiss).
“But ‘one another’, I don’t see who
Is meant by ‘another’,—now, May, do you?”
Very slowly she raised her head,
Our thoughtful darling, and gently said;
As she fondly smiled on her little brother,
“Why, I am, only ‘one’ and you are ‘an other’.
And this is the meaning, don’t you see?
That I must love you, and you must love me.”