it now - Embarrassed, sad, he only wished To disappear somehow. But, as he fell, his dad stood up, And showed his anxious face, Which to the boy so clearly said: "Get up and win the race." He quickly rose, no damage done, - behind a bit, that's all - And ran with all his mind and might To make up for his fall. So, anxious to restore himself - to catch up and to win - His mind went faster than his legs; He slipped and fell again! He wished, then, he had quit before With only one disgrace. "I'm hopeless as a runner now; I shouldn't try to race. But, in the laughing crowd he searched And found his father's face. That steady look that said again! "Get up and win the race." So, up he jumped, to try again - ten yards behind the last - "If I'm to gain those yards," he thought 'I've got to move real fast." Exceeding everything he had He gained back eight or ten, But trying so, to catch the lead, He slipped and fell again! Defeat! He lay there silently - a tear dropped from his eye - "There is no sense in running more; Three strikes, I'm out, why try?" The will to rise had disappeared All hope had fled away So far behind; so error prone A loser all the way. "I've lost, so what's the use," he thought "I'll live with my disgrace." But, then he thought