Soon or Late

From the Rock Island Argus, September 7, 1914. By Henry Howland.

When things have all gone wrong, when they
    Whom you have deemed your friends have turned,
Because ill luck has come your way,
    And sought their pleasures, unconcerned;
When all your plans have gone amiss
    And all your hopes have taken flight,
Then you have need of her fond kiss
    Who waits to welcome you, at night.

When Fate has been inclined to cheat
    You of rewards you hoped to claim,
When, with the bruises of defeat,
    And bending under bitter blame,
You turn, at night, to them who still
    Are faithful, patient, loving, just,
You need the little one to fill
    Your heart with hope, your soul with trust.

When all goes well, when Fortune beams
    Upon you with her fairest smile;
When Luck befriends you and it seems
    That effort still is well worth while,
When smiling flatterers proceed
    To put your lingering doubts to flight,
You may forget that you have need
    Of them who wait for you at night.

The sky that is today so blue
    May cease tomorrow to be clear;
The friends who now appear so true
    May shun you when you need their cheer;
But they who nightly give you kind
    Glad greetings, faithfully will wait;
Be true to them, for you will find
    That they are needed, soon or late.