01- fN 3 1924 074 498 910 All books are subject to recall after two weeks Olin/Kroch Library DATE DUE M -r. QQ^ GAYLORD PRfNTED IN U.S.A. The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924074498910 THE BEST LOVED POEMS OE JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY THE BEST LOVED POEMS of James Whitcomb Riley With Illustrations by ETHEL FRANKLIN BETTS BLUE RIBBON BOOKS NEW YORK Copyright 1887, 1888, 1890, 1892, 1893, 1896, 1898, 1902, 1903, 1904 and 1906 by James Whitcomb Riley Copyright, 19ZO The Bobbs-Merrill Company rfe'ri "-?>.. •^^ Rights Reserved %c ^^> Printed in the United States of America Printed by the OornwaU Preaa, Inc., Cornwall, N. Y. To The Children of The Old Times and of These With changeless love f WHILE THE HEART BEATS YOUNG TyfT'HILE the heart beats young I — O the '''^ splendor of the Springs With all her dewy jewels on, is not so fair a thing! The fairest, rarest morning of the blossom-time of May Is not so sweet a season as the season of to-day While Youth's diviner climate folds and holds us, close caressed. As we feel our m.others with us by the touch of face and breast; — Our bare feet in the meadows, and our fancies up among The airy clouds of morning — while the heart beats young. While the heart beats young and our pulses leap and dance. With every day a holiday and life a glad romance, — We hear the birds with wonder, and with wonder watch their fight — Standing still the more enchanted, both of hearing and ofsight^ / t^ ^/ When they have vanished -wholly, —^or, infancyy iving'to-^ing We Jly to Heaven -with them^ and, returning^ still Tve sing The praises of this lower Heaven -with tireless voice and tongue. Even as the Master sanctions — while the heart beats young. While the heart beats young! — While the heart beats young! O green and gold old Earth of ours, ivith azure overhung A.nd looped tvith rainbotus! — grant us yet this grassy lap of thine — We -would be still thy children, through the shower and the shine! So pray we, lisping, "whispering, in childish love and trust. With our beseeching hands and faces lifted from the dust £y fervor of the poem, all unwritten and unsung. Thou givest us in answer, while the heart beats young. CONTENTS All-Golden, The .' . . ,., 152 Almost Beyond Endurance 64 At Aunty's House .......... 164 At Utter Loaf ., 42 Bear Family, A 90 Bear Story, The ., 175 Billy and His Drum . :., 131 Billy Miller's Circus-Show 108 Boy Lives on Our Farm, The ,., 132 Boy Patriot, The 148 Boy's Candidate, The ., 125 Bub Says ,.; 38 Bud's Fairy Tale 44 Bumblebee, The .,.,.: 94 Christine's Song .., 36 Circus-Day Parade, The ...... . 61 Qover, The . ,., 113 Days Gone By, The 99 Doodle Bugs's Charm- The -,,.... 136 CONTENTS— CONTINUED PAOX Funniest Thing in the World, The 59 Coin' to the Fair 134 Granny ,. 86 Her Lonesomeness 68 Hired Man's Faith in Children, The . . . . . 71 Impetuous Resolve, An 85 Iry and Billy and Jo 103 Jack the Giant-Killer 187 Kissing the Rod 57 Land of Thus-and-So, The 161 Land of Used-to-Be, The 110 Let Something Good Be Said 58 Lisper, The 40 Little Cousin Jasper . 101 Little Johnts's Chris'mus 166 Little Mandy's Christmas-Tree 155 Little Orphant Annie 126 'Lizabuth-Ann on Bakin'-Day 183 LockerWe Street ,. 66 Lullaby 98 CONTENTS— CONTINUED PAQH Man in the Moon, The 54 Max and Jim 80 Maymie's Story of Red Riding-Hood .... 24 Mister Hop-Toad 138 Naughty Claude 154 Nine Little Goblins, The 72 Old Hay-Mow, The 121 Old Tramp, The 84 On the Sunny Side 181 Orchard Lands of Long Ago, The ..... 88 Our Betsy 96 Our Hired Girl 141 Our Kind of a Min 171 Out to Old Aunt Mary's 115 Pixy People, The 75 Prayer Perfect, The 78 Prior to Miss Belle's Appearance 184 Raggedy Man, The 19 Raggedy Man on Children, The 70 Reach Your Hand to Me 79 CONTENTS— CONTINUED PAOI Runaway Boy, The ........ 105 Schoolboy's Favorite, The 81 Some Scattering Remarks of Bub's 60 Song of Long Ago, A 129 Squirt-Gun Uncle Maked Me, The 123 Sudden Shower, A 32 Toy-Balloon, The 146 Toy Penny-Dog, The 95 Used-to-Be, The >, . 34 Wet-Weather Talk ,. ,. 159 What Little Saul Got, Christmas 150 When Early March Seems Middle May .... 144 When the World Bu'sts Through 173 Where Shall We Land 22 THE BEST LOVED POEMS OF JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY THE RAGGEDY MAN OTHE RAGGEDY MAN! He works fer Pa; An' he's the goodest man ever you saw I He comes to our house every day, An' waters the horses, an' feeds 'em hay; An' he opens the shed — an' we all ist laugh When he drives out our little old wobble-ly calf; An' nen — ef our hired girl says he can — He milks the cow fer 'Lizabuth Ann. — Ain't he a' awful good Raggedy Man? Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man! 19 W'y, The Raggedy Man — ^he's ist so good He splits the kindlin' an' chops the wood; An' nen he spades in our garden, too, An* does most things 'at boys can't do! — He clumbed clean up in our big tree An' shocked a' apple down fer me — An' nother'n', too, fer 'Lizabuth Ann — An' nother'n', too, fer The Raggedy Man. — Ain't he a' awful kind Raggedy Man? Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man! An' The Raggedy Man, he knows most rhymes An' tells 'em, ef I be good, sometimes: Knows 'bout Giunts, an' Griflfuns, an' Elves, An' the Squidgicum-Squees 'at swallers therselves! An', wite by the pump in our pasture-lot, He showed me the hole 'at the Wunks is got, 'At lives 'way deep in the ground, an' can Turn into me, er 'Lizabuth Ann, Er Ma er Pa er The Raggedy Man! Ain't he a funny old Raggedy Man? Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man! ao The Raggedy Man — one time when he Wuz makin' a little bow-'n'-orry fer me, Says "When you're big like your Pa is, Air you go' to keep a fine store like his — An' be a rich merchunt — an' wear fine clothes ?- Er what air you go' to be, goodness knows 1" An' nen he laughed at 'Lizabuth Ann, An' I says "'M go' to be a Raggedy Manl — I'm ist go' to be a nice Raggedy Manl" Raggedy 1 Raggedy! Raggedy Manl WHERE SHALL WE LAND Where shall we land youi sweet? — Swinburne ▲ LL listlessly we float /\ Out seaward in the boat -^ J^ That beareth Love. Our sails of purest snow Bend to the blue below And to the blue above. Where shall we land? We drift upon a tide Shoreless on every side. Save where the eye Of Fancy sweeps far lands Shelved slopingly with sands Of gold and porphyry. Where shall we land? The fairy isles we see. Loom up so mistily — So vaguely fair, We do not care to break Fresh bubbles in our wake To bend our course for there. Where shall we land? 22 The warm winds of the deep Have lulled our sails to sleep. And so we glide Careless of wave or wind, Or change of any kind, Or turn of any tide. Where shall we land? We droop our dreamy eyes Where our reflection lies Steeped in the sea, And, in an endless fit Of languor, smile on it And its sweet mimicry. Where shall we land? **Where shall we land?" God's grace! I know not any place So fair as this — Swung here between the blue Of sea and sky, with you To ask me, with a kiss, "Where shall we land?" 23 MAYMIE'S STORY OF RED RIDING-HOOD W'Y, one time wuz a little-weenty dirl, An' she wuz named Red Riding-Hood, 'cause her — Her Ma she maked a little red cloak f er her 'At turnt up over her head. — An' it 'uz all 1st one piece o' red cardinul 'at's like The drate-long stockin's the storekeepers has. — Oh ! it 'uz purtiest cloak in all the world An' all this town er anywheres they is ! An' so, one day, her Ma she put it on Red Riding-Hood, she did — one day, she did — * An' it 'uz Sund'y — 'cause the little cloak It 'uz too nice to wear ist ever' day An' all the time! — ^An' so her Ma, she put It on Red Riding-Hood — an' telled her not To dit no dirt on it ner dit it mussed Ner nothin'! An' — an' — neikher Ma she dot 24 Her little basket out, 'at Old Kriss bringed Her wunst — one time, he did. An' nen she fill' It full o' whole lots an' 'bundance o' dood things t' eai (Alius my Dran'ma she says " 'bundance," too). An' so her Ma fill' little Red Riding-Hood's Nice basket all ist full o' dood things t' eat, An' tell her take 'em to her old Dran'ma — An' not to spill 'em, neever — 'cause ef she 'Ud stump her toe an' spill 'em, her Dran'ma She'll haf to punish her I An' nen — An' so Little Red Riding-Hood she p'omised she 'Ud be all careful nen, an' cross' her heart 'At she won't run an' spill 'em all fer six — ' Five — ten — two-hundred-bushel-dollars-goldJ An' nen she kiss' her Ma doo'-by an' went A-skippin' off — away fur off f rough the Big woods, where her Dran'ma she live at — No!— She didn't do a-skippin', like I said: — She ist went walkin' — careful-like an' slow — ' Ist like a little lady — walkin' 'long As all polite an' nice — an' slow — an' straight—' An' turn her toes — ist like she's marchin' in The Sund'y-School k-session! An' — an' — so She 'uz a-doin' along — an' doin' along—' 25 On frough the drate-big woods — 'cause her Dran'ma She live 'way, 'way fur oflf frough the big woods From her Ma's house. So when Red Riding-Hood Dit to do there, she alius have most fun — When she do frough the drate-big woods, you know. — 'Cause she ain't feard a bit o' anything! An' so she sees the little hoppty-birds 'At's in the trees, an' flyin' all around, An' singin' dlad as ef their parunts said They'll take 'em to the magic-lantern showl An' she 'ud pull the purty flowers an' things A-growin' round the stumps. — ^An' she 'ud ketch The purty butterflies, an' drasshoppers. An' stick pins frough 'em — No! — I ist said that!-^ 'Cause she's too dood an' kind an' 'bedient To hurt things thataway. — She'd ketch 'em, though, An' ist play wiv 'em ist a little while, An' nen she'd let 'em fly away, she would, An' ist skip on ad'in to her Dran'ma's. An' so, while she 'uz doin' 'long an' 'long, First thing you know they 'uz a drate-big old Mean wicked Wolf jumped out 'at wanted t' eat Her up, but dassent to — 'cause wite clos't there They wuz a Man a-choppin' wood, an' you 26 Could hear him. — So the old Wolf he 'uz feard Only to ist be kind to her. — So he 1st 'tended-like he wuz dood friends to her An' says, "Dood morning, little Red Riding- Hood!"— All ist as kind I An' nen Riding-'Hood She say "Dood morning," too — all kind an' nice— 1st like her Ma she learn' — No 1 — mustn't say "Learn'," 'cause "learn' " it's unproper. — So she say It like her Ma she "teached" her. — An' — so she Ist says "Dood morning" to the Wolf — 'cause she Don't know ut-tall 'at he's a wicked Wolf An' want to eat her up ! Nen old Wolf smile An' say, so kind : "Where air you doin' at?" Nen little Red Riding-Hood she say: "I'm doin' To my Dran'ma's, 'cause my Ma say I might." Nen, when she tell him that, the old Wolf he Ist turn an' light out f rough the big thick woods. Where she can't see him any more. An' so She think he's went to his house — ^but he hain't, — He's went to her Dran'ma's, to be there first — An' ketch her, ef she don't watch mighty sharp What she's about! 27 An' nen when the old Wolf Dit to her Dran'ma's house, he's purty smart, — An' so he 'tend-like he's Red Riding-Hood, An' knock at th' door. An' Riding-Hood's Dran'ma She's sick in bed an' can't come to the door An' open it. So th' old Wolf knock' two times. An' nen Red Riding-Hood's Dran'ma she says, "Who's there?" she says. An' old Wolf 'tends-like he's Little Red Riding-Hood, you know, an' make' His voice soun' ist like hers, an' says : "It's me, Dran'ma — an' I'm Red Riding-Hood an' I'm Ist come to see you." Nen her old Dran'ma She think it is little Red Riding-Hood, An' so she say : "Well, come in nen an' make You'se'f at home," she says, " 'cause I'm down sick In bed, an' got the 'ralgia, so's I can't Dit up an' let ye in." An' so th' old Wolf Ist march' in nen an' shet the door ad'in, An' drowl', he did, an' splunge' up on the bed An' et up old Miz Riding-Hood 'fore she Could put her specs on an' see who it wuz. — 'An' so she never knowed who et her up I a8 An' nen the wicked Wolf he ist put on Her nightcap, an' all covered up in bed — Like he wuz her, you know. Nen, purty soon Here come along little Red Riding-Hood, An' she knock' at the door. An' old Wolf 'tend- Like he's her Dran'ma; an' he say, "Who's there?"' Ist like her Dran'ma say, you know. An' so Little Red Riding-Hood she say: "It's me, Dran'ma — an' I'm Red Riding-Hood an' I'm Ist come to see you." An' nen old Wolf nen He cough an' say: "Well, come in nen an' make You'se'f at home," he says, " 'cause I'm down sick In bed, an' got the 'ralgia, so's I can't Dit up an' let ye in." An' so she think It's her Dran'ma a-talkin'. — So she ist Open' the door an' come in, an' set down Her basket, an' taked off her things, an' bringed A chair an' clumbed up on the bed, wite by The old big Wolf she thinks is her Dran'ma — Only she thinks the old Wolf's dot whole lots More bigger ears, an' lots more whiskers, too, Than her Dran'ma; an' so Red Riding-Hood She's kind o' skeered a little. So she says, 29 "Oh, Dran'ma, what fe««r eyes you dot I" An' nen The old Wolf says : "They're ist big thataway 'Cause I'm so dlad to see you !" Nen she says, "Oh, Dran'ma, what a drate-big nose you dotl" Nen th' old Wolf says : "It's ist big thataway Ist 'cause I smell the dood things 'at you bringed Me in the basket 1" An' nen Riding-Hood She says, "Oh-me-oh-nzy/ Dran'ma! what big White long sharp teeth you dotl" Nen old Wolf says ; "Yes — an' they're thataway" — an' drowled — "They're thataway," he says, "to eat you wivl" An' nen he ist jump' at her. — But she scream' — An' scream', she did. — So's 'at the Man 'At wuz a-choppin' wood, you know, — he hear, An' come a-runnin' in there wiv his ax ; An', 'fore the old Wolf know' what he's about. He split his old brains out an' killed him s' quick It make' his head swim! — An' Red Riding-Hood She wuzn't hurt at all ! An' the big Man He tooked her all safe home, he did, an' tell Her Ma she's all right an' ain't hurt at all 30 An' old Wolf's dead an' killed — an' ever' thing! — So her Ma wuz so tickled an' so proud, She gived htm all the dood things t' eat they wuz 'At's in the basket, an' she tell' him 'at She's much oblige', an' say to "call ad'in." An' story's honest truth — an' all so, tool B A SUDDEN SHOWER AREFOOTED boys scud up the street, Or skurry under sheltering sheds; And schoolgirl faces, pale and sweet, Gleam from the shawls about their heads. Doors bang; and mother-voices call From alien homes; and rusty gates Are slammed; and high above it all, The thunder grim reverberates. And then, abrupt, — the rain! the rainl — The earth lies gasping; and the eyes Behind the streaming window-pane Smile at the trouble of the skies. 32 The highway smokes ; sharp echoes ring ; The cattle bawl and cowbells clank ; And into town comes galloping The farmer's horse, with steaming flank. The swallow dips beneath the eaves, And flirts his plumes and folds his wings; And under the catawba leaves The caterpillar curls and clings. The bumble-bee is pelted down The wet stem of the hollyhock ; And sullenly, in spattered brown, The cricket leaps the garden walk. Within, the baby claps his hands And crows with rapture strange and vague; Without, beneath the rosebush stands A dripping rooster on one leg. THE USED-TO-BE BEYOND the purple, hazy trees Of summer's utmost boundaries; Beyond the sands — ^beyond the seas- Beyond the range of eyes like these. And only in the reach of the Enraptured gaze of Memory, There lies a land, long lost to me, — The land of Used-to-be ! A land enchanted — such as swung In golden seas when sirens clung Along their dripping brinks, and sung To Jason in that mystic tongue That dazed men with its melody — O such a land, with such a sea Kissing its shores eternally, Is the fair Used-to-be. A land where music ever girds The air with belts of singing-birds. And sows all sounds with such sweet words. That even in the low of herds A meaning lives so sweet to me. Lost laughter ripples limpidly From lips brimmed over with the glee Of rare old Used-to-be. 34 Lost laughter, and the whistled tunes Of boyhood's mouth of crescent runes, That rounded, through long afternoons. To serenading plenilunes — When starlight fell so mistily That, peering up from bended knee, I dreamed 'twas bridal drapery Snowed over Used-to-be. O land of love and dreamy thoughts. And shining fields, and shady spots Of coolest, greenest grassy plots. Embossed with wild forget-me-nots f — And all ye blooms that longingly Lift your fair faces up to me Out of the past, I kiss in ye The lips of Used-to-be. 35 CHRISTINE'S SONG UP in Tentoleena Land — Tentoleena! Tentoleena 1 All the Dollies, hand in hand, Mina, Nainie, and Serena, Dance the Fairy fancy dances, With glad songs and starry glances, Lisping roundelays; and, after, Bird-like interludes of laughter Strewn and scattered o'er the lawn Their gilt sandals twinkle on Through light mists of silver sand — Up in Tentoleena Land. 36 up in Tentoleena Land — Tentoleena! Tentoleena I Blares the eerie Elfin band — Trumpet, harp and concertina- Larkspur bugle — honeysuckle Cornet, with a quickstep chuckle In its golden throat; and, maybe, Lilies-of-the-valley they be Baby-silver-bells that chime Musically all the time. Tossed about from hand to hand — Up in Tentoleena Land. Up in Tentoleena Land — Tentoleen a! Tentoleena! Dollies dark, and blonde and bland — Sweet as musk-rose or verbena — Sweet as moon-blown daffodillies. Or wave-jostled water-lilies, Yearning to'rd the rose-mouths, ready Leaning o'er the river's eddy, — Dance, and glancing fling to you. Through these lines you listen to, Kisses blown from lip and hand Out of Tentoleena Land I 37 T BUB SAYS HE moon in the sky is a custard-pie, An' the clouds is the cream pour'd o'er it, An' all o' the glittering stars in the sky Is the powdered sugar for it. Johnts — he's proudest boy in town — 'Cause his Mommy she cut down His Pa's pants f er Johnts — an' there Is 'nuflf left fer 'nother pair! 3« One time, when her Ma was gone, Little Elsie she put on All her Ma's fine clothes — an' black Grow-grain-silk, an' sealskin-sack; Nen while she wuz flouncin' out In the hall an' round about Some one knocked, an' Elsie she Clean forgot an' run to see Who's there at the door — an' saw Mighty quick at wuz her Ma. But ef she ain't saw at all, She'd a-knowed her parasol I Gran'pas an' Gran'mas is funniest folks!—* Don't be jolly, ner tell no jokes, Tell o' the weather an' frost an' snow O' that cold New Year's o' long ago ; And then they sigh at each other an' cough An' talk about suddently droppin' off. THE LISPER ELSIE MINGUS lisps, she doesi She lives wite acrosst from us In Miz. Ayers'uz house ^at she Rents part to the Mingusuz. — Yes, an' Elsie plays wiv me. Elsie lisps so, she can't say Her own name, ist anyway! — She says "Elthy" — like they wuz Feathers on her words, an' they Ist stick on her tongue like fuzz. My! she's purty, though! — ^An' when She lisps, w'y, she's purty nen! When she telled me, wunst, her doll Wuz so "thweet," an' I p'ten' I lisp, too, — she laugh' — 'at 's all! — 40 She don't never git mad none — 'Cause she know I'm ist in fun. — Elsie she ain't one bit sp'iled. — Of all childerns — ever' one — She's the ladylikest child I — My Ma say she is! One time Elsie start to say the rhyme, "Thing a thong o' thixpenth" — Wheel I ist yelU An' Ma say I'm Unpolite as I can be! iWunst I went wiv Ma to call On Elsie's Ma, an' eat an' all; An' nen Elsie, when we've et, An' we 're playin' in the hall, Elsie say: It's etikett Fer young gentlemens, like me, Eatin' when they's company, Not to never ever crowd Down their food, ner "thip their tea Ner thup thoop so awful loud!" AT UTTER LOAF A N afternoon as ripe with heat /\ As might the golden pippin be ^ JL With mellowness if at my feet It dropped now from the apple-tree My hammock swings in lazily. II The boughs about me spread a shade That shields me from the sun, but weaves With breezy shuttles through the leaves Blue rifts of skies, to gleam and fade Upon the eyes that only see Just of themselves, all drowsily. Ill Above me drifts the fallen skein Of some tired spider, looped and blown, As fragile as a strand of rain, Across the air, and upward thrown By breaths of hay-fields newly mown — So glimmering it is and fine, I doubt these drowsy eyes of mine. 42 IV Far-ofF and faint as voices pent In mines, and heard from underground, Come murmurs as of discontent. And clamorings of sullen sound The city sends me, as, I guess. To vex me, though they do but bless Me in my drowsy fastnesses. V I have no care. I only know My hammock hides and holds me here In lands of shade a prisoner: While lazily the breezes blow Light leaves of sunshine over me, And back and forth and to and fro I swing, enwrapped in some hushed glee. Smiling at all things drowsily. 43 BUD'S FAIRY TALE SOME peoples thinks they ain't no Fairies now No more yet I — But they is, I bet! 'Cause ef They wuzn't Fairies, nen I' like to know Who'd w'ite 'bout Fairies in the books, an' tell What Fairies does, an' how their picture looks, !An' all an' ever' thing! W'y, ef they don't Be Fairies any more, nen little boys 'Ud ist sleep when they go to sleep an' won't Hare ist no dweams at all, — 'cause Fairies — good Fairies — they're a-purpose to make dweams \ But they is Fairies — an' I know they is ! 'Cause one time wunst, when it's all Summer-time, 'An' don't haf to be no fires in the stove Er fireplace to keep warm wiv — ner don't haf To wear old scwatchy flannen shirts at all, An' ain't no fweeze — ner coid — ner snow! — An' — an' 44 Old skweeky twees got all the gween leaves on An' ist keeps noddin', noddin' all the time, Like they 'uz lazy an' a-twyin' to go To sleep an' couldn't, 'cause the wind won't quit A-blowin' in 'em, an' the birds won't stop A-singin', so's they kin. — But twees don't sleep, I guess ! But little boys sleeps — an' dweams, too.—* An' that's a sign they's Fairies. So, one time, When I be'n playin' "Store" wunst over in The shed of their old stable, an' Ed Howard He maked me quit a-bein' pardners, 'cause I dwinked the 'tend-like sody-water up An' et the shore-'nuff crackers, — ^w'y, nen I Clumbed over in our garden where the gwapes Wuz purt' nigh ripe: An' I wuz ist a-layin' There on th' old cwooked seat 'at Pa maked in Our arber, — an' so I 'uz layin' there A-whittlin' beets wiv my new dog-knife, an' A-lookin' wite up thue the twimbly leaves — An' wuzn't 'sleep at all! — An'-sir! — first thing You know, a little Fairy hopped out there 1 — A leetle-teenty Fairy! — hope-may -die! An' he look' down at me, he did — an' he Ain't bigger'n a yellerbird! — an' he Say "Howdy-do 1" he did — an' I could hear 45 Him — ist as plain! Nen I say "Howdy-do I" An' he say "I'm all hunky, Nibsey; how Is your folks comin' on?" All' nen I say "My name ain't 'Nibsey,' neever — my name's Bud.— An' what's your name?" I says to him. An' he Ist laugh an' say, " 'Bud's' awful funny name !" An' he ist laid back on a big bunch o' gwapes An' laugh' an' laugh', he did — like somebody 'Uz tick-el-un his feet! An' nen I say — "What's your name," nen I say, "afore you bu'st Yo'se'f a-laughin' 'bout my name?" I says. An' nen he dwy up laughin' — kind o' mad — An' say, "W'y, my name's Squidjicum," he says. An' nen / laugh an' say — "Gee! what a name I" An' when I make fun of his name, like that, He ist git awful mad an' spunky, an' 'Fore you know, he gwabbed holt of a vine — A big long vine 'at's danglin' up there, an' He ist belt on wite tight to that, an' down He swung quick past my face, he did, an' ist Kicked at me hard's he could! 46 But I'm too quick Fer Mr. Squidjicum! I ist weached out An' ketched him, in my hand — an' helt him, too, An' squeezed him, ist like little wobins when They can't fly yet an' git flopped out their nest. An' nen I turn him all wound over, an' Look at him clos't, you know — wite clos't, — 'cause e£ He is 2l Fairy, w'y, I want to see The wings he's got. — But he's dwessed up so fine 'At I can't see no wings. — An' all the time He's twyin' to kick me yet : An' so I take F'esh holts an' squeeze ag'in — an' harder, too ; An' I says, "Hold up, Mr. Squidjicum! — You're kickin' the w'ong man!" I says; an' nen I ist squeeze^ him, purt' nigh my best, I did — An' I heerd somepin' bu'st! — An' nen he cwied An' says, "You better look out what you're doin' !— « You' bu'st my spider-web suspenners, an' You' got my wose-leaf coat all cwinkled up So's I can't go to old Miss Hoodjicum's Tea-party, 's afternoon !" An' nen I says — "Who's 'old Miss Hoodjicum'?" I says. An' he Says, "Ef you lemme loose I'll tell you." So I helt the little skeezics 'way fur out 47 In one hand — so's he can't jump down t* th' ground Wivout a-gittin' all stove up : an' nen I says, "You're loose now. — Go ahead an' tell 'Bout the 'tea-party' where you're goin' at So awful fasti" I says. An' nen he say, — "No use to tell you 'bout it, 'cause you won't Believe it, 'less you go there your own se'f An' see it wir your own two eyes !" he says. An' he says: "Ef you lemme shore-'nuf loose, An' p'omise 'at you'll keep wite still, an' won't Tetch nothin' 'at you see — an' never tell Nobody in the world — an' lemme loose — W'y, nen I'll take you there!" But I says, "Yes An' ef I let you loose, you'll run/" I says. ' An' he says, "No, I won't! — I hope-may-die!" Nen I says, "Cwoss your heart you won't!" An' he 1st cwoss his heart; an' nen I reach an' set The little feller up on a long vine — An' he 'uz so tickled to git loose ag'in. He gwab the vine wiv boflf his little hands An' ist take an' turn in, he did, an' skin 'Bout forty-'leben cats ! Nen when he git 48 Thue whirlin' wound the vine, an' set on top Of it ag'in, w'y, nen his "wose-leaf coat" He bwag so much about, it's ist all tored Up, an' ist hapgin' strips an' rags — so he Look like his Pa's a dwunkard. An' so nen When he see what he's done — a-actin' up So smart, — he's awful mad, I guess ; an' ist Pout out his lips an' twis' his little face Ist ugly as he kin, an' set an' tear His whole coat off — an' sleeves an' all. — An' nen He wad it all togewer an' ist th'ow It at me ist as hard as he kin dwive I An' when I weach to ketch him, an' 'uz goin' To give him 'nuvrer squeezin', he ist fleived Clean up on top the arbor! — 'Cause, you know, They wuz wings on him — when he tored his coat Clean off — they wuz wings under there. But they Wuz purty wobbly-like an' wouldn't work Hardly at all — 'cause purty soon, when I Th'owed clods at him, an' sticks, an' got him shooed Down off o' there, he come a-floppin' down An' lit k-bang! on our old chicken-coop. An' ist laid there a-whimper'n' like a child! An' I tiptoed up wite clos't, an' I says, "What's The matter wiv ye, Squidjicum?" 49 An' he Says: "Dog-gone! when my wings gits stwaight ag'in, Where you all crumpled 'em," he says, "I bet I'll ist fly clean away an' won't take you To old Miss Hoodjicum's at all !" he says. An' nen I ist weach out wite quick, I did, An' gwab the sassy little snipe ag'in — Nen tooked my top-stwing an' tie down his wings So's he can't fly, 'less'n I want him to! An' nen I says: "Now, Mr. Squidjicum, You better ist light out," I says, "to old Miss Hoodjicum's, an' show me how to git There, too," I says ; "er ef you don't," I says, "I'll climb up wiv you on our buggy-shed An' push you off!" I says. An' nen he say All wite, he'll show me there ; an' tell me nen To set him down wite easy on his feet. An' loosen up the stwing a little where It cut him under th' arms. An' nen he says, "Come on!" he says; an' went a-limpin' 'long The garden-paph — an' limpin' 'long an' 'long Tel — purty soon he come on 'long to where's A grea'-big cabbage-leaf. An' he stoop down An' say, "Come on inunder here wiv me!" 50 So I stoop down an' crawl inunder there, Like he say. An' inunder there's a grea'- Big clod, they is — a' awful grea'-big clod! An' nen he says, "Woll this-here clod away!" An' so I woll' the clod away. An' nen It's all wet, where the dew'z inunder where The old clod wuz. — ^An' nen the Fairy he Git on the wet-place : Nen he say to me, "Git on the wet-place, too!" An' nen he say, "Now hold yer breff an' shet yer eyes !" he says, "Tel I say Squinchy-'winchy!" Nen he say — Somepin' in Dutch, I guess. — An' nen I felt Like we 'uz sinkin' down — an' sinkin' down ! — Tel purty soon the little Fairy weach An' pinch my nose an' yell at me an' say, "Squinchy-'winchy! Look wherever you please/" Nen when I looked — Oh ! they 'uz purtiest place Down there you ever saw in all the World ! — They 'uz ist flowers an' woses — ^yes, an' twees Wiv blossoms on an' big wipe apples bofi! An' butterflies, they wuz — an' hummin'-birds — An' yellerhirds an' bluehitds — yes, an' wedJ — An' ever'wheres an' all awound 'uz vines Wiv wipe p'serve-pears on 'em ! — Yes, an' all An' ever'thing 'at's ever growin' in 51 A garden — er canned up — all wipe at wunst! — It wuz ist like a garden — only it 'Uz ist a little bit o' garden — 'bout big wound As ist our twun'el-bed is. — ^An' all wound An' wound the little garden's a gold fence — • An' little gold gate, too — an' ash-hopper 'At's all gold, too — an' ist full o' gold ashes! An' wite in th' middle o' the garden wuz A little gold house, 'at's ist 'bout as big As ist a bird-cage is : An' in the house They 'uz whole-lots more Fairies there — 'cause I Picked up the little house, an' peeked in at The winders, an' I see 'em all in there Ist buggin' round! An' Mr. Squidjicum He twy to make me quit, but I gwab him An' poke him down the chimbly, too, I did! — An' y'ort to see him hop out 'mongst 'em there ! — Ist like he 'uz the boss an' ist got back! — "Hain't ye got on them-air dew-dumpjin's yet?" He says. An' they says no. An' nen he says — ''Better git at 'em nen!" he says, "wite quick — 'Cause old Miss Hoodjicum's a-comin'!" Nen They all set wound a little gold tub — an' 5« All 'menced a-peelin' dewdwops, ist like they 'Uz peaches. — An', it looked so funny, I Ist laugh' out loud, an' dwopped the little house, — An' 't bu'sted like a soap-bubble 1 — an' 't skeered Me so, I — I — I — I, — it skeered me so, — I — ist waked up. — No ! I ain't be'n asleep An' diveam it all, like you think, — ^but it's shore Fer-certain fact an' cwoss my heart it is I THE MAN IN THE MOON SAID The Raggedy Man, on a hot afternoon: My! Sakes! What a lot o' mistakes Some little folks makes on The Man in the Moon! But people that's be'n up to see him, like me, And calls on him frequent and intimuttly. Might drop a few facts that would interest you Clean! Through! — If you wanted 'em to — Some actual facts that might interest you! 54 The Man in the Moon has a crick in his back; Wheel Whimm I Ain't you sorry for him? And a mole on his nose that is purple and black; And his eyes are so weak that they water and run If he dares to dream even he looks at the sun, — So he jes dreams of stars, as the doctors advise — Myl Eyesl But isn't he wise — To jes dream of stars, as the doctors advise? And The Man in the Moon has a boil on his ear — Wheel Whingl What a singular thing I 1 knowl but these facts are authentic, my dear, — There's a boil on his ear; and a corn on his chin — He calls it a dimple — but dimples stick in — Yet it might be a dimple turned over, you knowl Whang 1 Hoi Why, certainly sol — It might be a dimple turned over, you knowl 55 And The Man in the Moon has a rheumatic knee- Gee! Whizz! What a pity that is! And his toes have worked round where his heels ought to be. — So whenever he wants to go North he goes South, And comes back with porridge-crumbs all round hi? mouth, And he brushes them off with a Japanese fan, Whing! Whann ! What a marvellous man! What a very remarkably marvellous man! 'N' The Man in the Moon, sighed The Raggedy Man, Gits! So! Sullonesome, you know, — Up there by hisse'f sence creation began! — That when I call on him and then come away, He grabs me and holds me and begs me to stay, — Till — Well! if it wasn't fer Jimmy-cum-']im, Dadd! Limb! I'd go pardners with him — Jes jump mv job here and be pardners with him! S6 KISSING THE ROD O HEART of mine, we shouldn't Worry so! What we've missed of calm we couldn't Have, you know! What we've met of stormy pain, And of sorrow's driving rain. We can better meet again, If it blow! We have erred in that dark hour We have known, When our tears fell with the shower. All alone! — Were not shine and shower blent As the gracious Master meant? — Let us temper our content With His own. For, we know, not every morrow Can be sad; So, forgetting all the sorrow We have had, Let us fold away our fears, And put by our foolish tears, And through all the coming years Just be glad. 57 LET SOMETHING GOOD BE SAID WHEN over the fair fame of friend or foe The shadow of disgrace shall fall, instead Of words of blame, or proof of thus and so, Let something good be said. Forget not that no fellow-being yet May fall so low but love may lift his head : Even the cheek of shame with tears is wet, If something good be said. No generous heart may vainly turn aside In ways of sympathy; no soul so dead But may awaken strong and glorified, If something good be said. And so I charge ye, by the thorny crown, •And by the cross on which the Saviour bled. And by your own soul's hope of fair renown, Let something good be said! 58 THE FUNNIEST THING IN THE WORLD THE funniest thing in the world, I know, Is watchin' the monkeys 'at's in the show! — Jumpin' an' runnin' an' racin' roun', 'Way up the top o' the pole; nen down I First they're here, an' nen they're there, An' ist a'most any an' ever'wherel — Screechin' an' scratchin' wherever they go, They're the funniest thing in the world, I know! They're the funniest thing in the world, I think: — Funny to watch 'em eat an' drink; Funny to watch 'em a-watchin' us. An' actin' 'most like grown folks does! — Funny to watch 'em p'tend to be Skeerd at their tail 'at they happen to see; — But the funniest thing in the world they do Is never to laugh, like me an' you I 59 tm SOME SCATTERING REMARKS OF BUB'S W UNST I looked our pepper-box lid An' cut little pie-dough biscuits, I did, An' cooked 'em on our stove one day When our hired girl she said I may. Honey's the goodest thing — Oo-oohf An' blackburry-pies is goodest, tool But wite hot biscuits, ist soakin' wet Wiv tree-muUasus, is goodest yetl Miss Maimie she's my Ma's friend, — an* She's purtiest girl in all the Ian'! — An' sweetest smile an' voice an' face — An' eyes ist looks like p'serves tas'el I ruther go to the Circus-show; But, 'cause my parunts told me so, I ruther go to the Sund'y School, *Cause there I learn the goldun rule. Say, Pa, — ^what is the goldun rule 'At's alius at the Sund'y School? 60 THE CIRCUS-DAY PARADE OH, THE Circus-Day Parade! How the bugles ' played and played ! And how the glossy horses tossed their flossy manes and neighed, As the rattle and the rhyme of the tenor-drummer's time Filled all the hungry hearts of us with melody sublime! How the grand band-wagon shone with a splender all its own, And glittered with a glory that our dreams had never known ! And how the boys behind, high and low of every kind, Marched in unconscious capture, with a rapture undefined! 6i How the horsemen, two and two, with their plumes of white and blue, And crimson, gold and purple, nodding by at me and you. Waved the banners that they bore, as the Knights in days of yore. Till our glad eyes gleamed and glistened like the spangles that they wore ! How the graceless-graceful stride of the elephant was eyed. And the capers of the little horse that cantered at his side! How the shambling camels, tame to the plaudits of their fame. With listless eyes came silent, masticating as they came. How the cages jolted past, with each wagon battened fast, And the mystery within it only hinted of at last From the little grated square in the rear, and nosing there The snout of some strange animal that sniffed the outer air I And, last of all. The Clown, making mirth for all the town, With his lips curved ever upward and his eyebrows ever down. 62 And his chief attention paid to the little mule that played A tattoo on the dashboard with his heels, in the Parade. Oh! the Circus-Day Parade! How the bugles played and played! And how the glossy horses tossed their flossy manes and neighed, As the rattle and the rhyme of the tenor-drummer's time Filled all the hungry hearts of us with melody sublime! ALMOST BEYOND ENDURANCE 1 AIN'T a-goin' to cry no more no morel I'm got ear-ache, an' Ma can't make It quit a-tall; An' Carlo bite my rubber-ball An' puncture it; an' Sis she take An' poke' my knife down through the stable-floor An' loozed it — ^blame it all! But I ain't goin' to cry no more no more! An' Aunt Mame wrote she's comin', an' she can't- Folks is come there/ — ^An' I don't care She is my Aunt! An' my eyes stings; an' I'm 1st coughin' all the time, An' hurts me so, an' where my side's so sore Grampa felt where, an' he Says "Mayby it's pleurasy!" But I ain't goin' to cry no more no more! 64 An' I clumbed up an' nen failed oS the fence, Ah' Herbert he ist laugh at mel An' my fi'-cents It sticked in my tin bank, an' I ist tore Purt'-nigh my thumbnail off, a-tryin' to git It out — nen smash it! — ^An' it's in there yiti But I ain't goin' to cry no more no morel Oof I'm so wickud! — ^An' my breath's so hot — Ist like I run an' don't res' none But ist run on when I ought to not; Yes, an' my chin An' lips 's all warpy, an' teeth's so fast, An' 's a place in my throat I can't swaller past- An' they all hurt so! — An' oh, my-oh! I'm a-startin' ag'in — I'm a-startin' ag'in, but I won't, fer shore I— / ist ain't goin' to cry no more no morel LOCKERBIE STREET SUCH a dear little street it is, nestled away From the noise of the city and heat of the day, In cool shady coverts of whispering trees, With their leaves lifted up to shake hands with the breeze Which in all its wide wanderings never may meet With a resting-place fairer than Lockerbie Street! There is such a relief, from the clangor and din Of the heart of the town, to go loitering in Through the dim, narrow walks, with the sheltering shade Of the trees waving over the long promenade. And littering lightly the ways of our feet With the gold of the sunshine of Lockerbie Street. And the nights that come down the dark pathways of dusk, With the stars in their tresses, and odors of musk In their moon-woven raiments, bespangled with dews. And looped up with lilies for lovers to use In the songs that they sing to the tinkle and beat Of their sweet serenadings through Lockerbie Street. 66 Omy Lockerbie Street! You are fair to be seen — Be it noon of the day, or the rare and serene Afternoon of the night — ^you are one to my heart, And I love you above all the phrases of art, For no language could frame and no lips could repeat My rhyme-haunted raptures of Lockerbie Street. 67 HER LONESOMENESS WHEN little Elizabeth whispers Her morning-love to me, Each word of the little lisper's, As she clambers on my knee — Hugs me and whispers, "Mommy, Oh, I'm so glad it's day And the night's all gone awayl" How it does thrill and awe me, — "The night's all gone awayl" "Sometimes I wake, all listenin'," She sighs, "and all's so still I — The moon and the stars half-glistenin* Over the window-sill; — And I look where the gas's pale light Is all turned down in the hall — And you ain't here at all I — And oh, how I wish it was daylight! — ^And you ain't here at all! 69 "And oh," she goes eerily whining And laughing, too, as she speaks, "If only the sun kept shining For weeks and weeks and weeks!— For the world's so dark, without you, And the moon's turned down so low— 'Way in the night, you know, — And I get so lonesome about youl — 'Way in the night, you know I" THE RAGGEDY MAN ON CHILDREN CHILDERN— take 'em as they run— You kin bet on, ev'ry one! — Treat 'em right and reco'nize Human souls is all one size. Jewer think? — the world's best men Wears the same souls they had when They run barefoot — 'way back where All these little childern air. Heerd a boy, not long ago. Say his parents sassed him so, He'd correct 'em ef he could, — Then be good ef they'd be good. 70 THE HIRED MAN'S FAITH IN CHILDREN 1 BELIEVE all childern's good, Ef they're only understood, — Even bad ones 'pears to me 'S jes' as good as they kin be 1 71 THE NINE LITTLE GOBLINS THEY all climbed up on a high board-fence — Nine little goblins, with green-glass eyes — Nine little goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince-pies ; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat — And I asked them what they were staring at. And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red — "This is what this little arm is f er 1" And he scratched and stared, and the next one said, "How on earth do you scratch your head?" 72 And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge — Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale. And the third little goblin leered round at me — And there were no lids on his eyes at all — And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?" And he clapped his heels — and I sighed to see That he had hands where his feet should be. Then a bald-faced goblin, gray and grim, Bowed his head, and I saw him slip His eyebrows oflf, as I looked at him. And paste them over his upper lip ; And then he moaned in remorseful pain — "Would — ah, would I'd me brows again 1" And then the whole of the goblin band Rocked on the fence-top to and fro, And clung, in a long row, hand in hand, Singing the songs that they used to know — Singing the songs that their grandsires sung In the goo-goo days of the goblin-tongue. 73 And ever they kept their green-glass eyes Fixed on me with a stony stare — Till my own grew glazed with a dread surmise, And my hat whooped up on my lifted hair, And I felt the heart in my breast snap to, As you've heard the lid of a snuff-box do. And they sang: "You're asleep! There is no board- fence, And never a goblin with green-glass eyes ! — 'Tis only a vision the mind invents After a supper of cold mince-pies, — And you're doomed to dream this way," they said, — "And you shan't wake up till you're clean plum deadl" % ^-^ ^ ^^ An' whacks Old Gray, an' drives the sleigh Fastest you ever saw ! Over the river an' through the wood Now Gran' mother^ s cap I spy: 'Hurrah fer the fun! — Is the puddin' done?. — Hurrah fer the punkin-pie! An' Pa ist snuggles me 'tween his knees — An' I he'p hold the lines, An' peek out over the buffalo-robe ; — An' the wind ist blows! — an' the snow ist snows! An' the sun ist shines ! an' shines ! — An' th' ole horse tosses his head an' coughs The frost back in our face, — An' I'd ruther go to my Gran'ma's Than any other place! 82 Over the river an' through the wood Now Gran'mother's cap I spy: Hurrah fer the fun/ — Is the puddin' done? — Hurrah fer the punkin-piel An' all the peoples they is in town Watches us whizzin' past To go a-visitun our Gran'ma's, Like we all went there last; — But they can't go, like ist our folks An' Johnny an' Lotty, and three Er four neighber childerns, an' Rober-ut Volney, An' Charley an' Maggy an' me I Over the river an' through the wood Now Gran'mother^s cap I spy: Hurrah fer the fun! — Is the puddin' done? — ' Hurrah fer the punkin-pief THE OLD TRAMP A > OLD Tramp slep' in our stable wunst, /Jk An' The Raggedy Man he caught "^ -^ An' roust him up, an' chased him off Clean out through our back lotl An' th' old Tramp hollered back an' said, — "You're a purty man! — You air! — ■■ With a pair o' eyes like two fried eggs, An' a nose like a Bartlutt pear!" 84 AN IMPETUOUS RESOLVE WHEN little Dickie Swope's a man, He's go' to be a Sailor; An' little Hamey Tincher, he's A-go' to be a Tailor: Bud Mitchell, he's a-go' to be A stylish Carriage-Maker; An' when / grow a grea'-big man, I'm go' to be a Baker! An' Dick'll buy his sailor-suit O' Hamc; an' Hame'll take it An' buy as fine a double-rig As ever Bud kin make it: An' nen all three'll drive roun' fer me, An' we'll drive off togewer, A-slingin' pie-crust 'long the road Ferever an' ferever! GRANNY GRANNY'S come to our house, And hoi my lawzy-daisyl All the childern round the place Is ist a-runnin' crazy! Fetched a cake fer little Jake, And fetched a pie fer Nanny, And fetched a pear fer all the pack That runs to kiss their Granny I Lucy Ellen's in her lap, And Wade and Silas-Walker Both's a-ridin' on her foot. And Polios on the rocker; And Marthy's twins, from Aunt Marinn's, And little Orphant Annie, All's a-eatin' gingerbread And giggle-un at Granny! 86 Tells us all the fairy tales Ever thought er wundered — And 'bundance o' other stories — Bet she knows a hunderd! — Bob's the one fer "Whittington," And "Golden Locks" fer Fanny! Hear 'em laugh and clap their hands, Listenun' at Granny 1 "Jack the Giant-Killer" 's good; And "Bean-Stalk" 's another!— So's the one of "Cinderell' " And her old godmother; — That-un's best of all the rest — Bestest one of any, — Where the mices scampers home, Like we runs to Granny I Granny's come to our house, Hoi my lawzy-daisy! All the childern round the place Is ist a-runnin' crazy! Fetched a cake fer little Jake, And fetched a pie fer Nanny, And fetched a pear fer all the pack That runs to kiss their Granny! 87 THE ORCHARD LANDS OF LONG AGO THE orchard lands of Long Ago ! O drowsy winds, awake, and blow The snowy blossoms back to me. And all the buds that used to be! Blow back along the grassy ways Of truant feet, and lift the haze Of happy summer from the trees That trail their tresses in the seas Of grain that float and overflow The orchard lands of Long Ago ! Blow back the melody that slips In lazy laughter from the lips That marvel much if any kiss Is sweeter than the apple's is. Blow back the twitter of the birds — The lispj the titter, and the words Of merriment that found the shine Of summer-time a glorious wine That drenched the leaves that loved it so, In orchard lands of Long Ago! 88 O memory ! alight and sing Where rosy-bellied pippins cling, And golden russets glint and gleam, As, in the old Arabian dream, The fruits of that enchanted tree The glad Aladdin robbed for me ! And, drowsy winds, awake and fan My blood as when it overran A heart ripe as the apples grow In orchard lands of Long Ago! 8g A BEAR FAMILY WUNZT, 'way West in Illinoise, Wuz two Bears an' their two boys: An' the two boys' names, you know, Wuz — like ours is, — ^Jim an' Jo; An' their parunts' names wuz same's All big grown-up people's names, — 1st Miz Bear, the neighbers call 'Em, an' Mister Bear — 'at's all. Yes — an' Miz Bear scold him, too, 1st like grown folks shouldn't do! Wuz a grea'-big river there. An', 'crosst that, 's a mountain where Old Bear said some day he'd go, Ef she don't quit scoldin' so ! So, one day when he been down The river, fishin', 'moe* to town, 90 An' come back 'thout no fish a-tall, An' Jim and Jo they run an' bawl An' tell their ma their pa hain't fetch* No fish, — she scold again an' ketch Her old broom up an' biff him, too.— An' he ist cry, an' say, "Boo-hool I told you what I'd do ^ome day!" An' he ist turned an' runned away To where's the grea'-big river there, An' ist splunged in an' swum to where The mountain's at, 'way th' other side, An' clumbed up there. An' Miz Bear cried- An' little Jo an' little Jim — Ist like their ma — bofe cried fer him! — But he clumbed on, clean out o' sight, He wuz so mad! — An' served 'em right! Nen — ^when the Bear got 'way on top The mountain, he hjjSrd somepin' flop Its wings — an' somepin' else he heerd A-rattlin'-like. — ^An' he wuz sheered, An' looked 'way up, an' — Mercy sake! It wuz a' Eagul an' a snake/ An'-sir, the Snake, he bite an' kill' The Eagul, an' they bofe fall till They strike the ground — k'spang-k'spaf! Wite where the Bear wuz standin' at! An' when here come the Snake at him, 91 The Bear he think o' little Jim An' Jo, he did — an' their ma, too,— All safe at home, — an' he ist flew Back down the mountain — an' could hear The old Snake rattlin', sharp an' clear, Wite clos't behind! — An' Bear he's so All tired out, by time, you know, He git down to the river there, He know' he can't swim back to where His folks is at. But ist wite nen He see a boat an' six big men 'At's been a-shootin' ducks : An' so He skeered them out the boat, you know, An' ist jumped in — an' Snake he tried To jump in, too, but failed outside Where all the water wuz ; an' so The Bear grabs one the things you row The boat wiv an' ist whacks the head Of the old Snake an' kills him dead! — An' when he's killed him dead, w'y, nen The old Snake's drownded dead again! Nen Bear set in the boat an' bowed His back an' rowed — an' rowed — an' rowe'd- Till he's safe home — so tired he can't Do nothin' but lay there an' pant An' tell his childern, "Bresh my coat!" 94 An' tell his wife, "Go chain my boat I" An' they're so glad he's back, they say "They knowed he's comin' thataway To ist su'prise the dear ones there!"' An' Jim an' Jo they dried his hair An' pulled the burs out; an' their ma She ist set there an' belt his paw Till he wuz sound asleep, an' nen She telled him she won't scold again^ Never — never — never — Ferever an' fereverl THE BUMBLEBEE YOU better not fool with a Bumblebee 1 — Ef you don't think they can sting — ^you'll seel They're lazy to look at, an' kindo' go Buzzin' an' bummin' aroun' so slow, An' ac' so slouchy an' all fagged out, Danglin' their legs as they drone about The hollyhawks 'at they can't climb in 'Ithout ist a-tumble-un out ag'inl Wunst I watched one climb clean 'waj5 In a jimpson-blossom, I did, one day,— An' I ist grabbed it — an' nen let go— • An' "Ooh-ooh! Honey! I told ye sol" Says the Raggedy Man ; an' he ist run An' pullt out the stinger, an' don't laugh none, An' says : "They has be'n folks, I guess, 'At thought I wuz predjudust more er less,— • Yit I still muntain 'at a Bumblebee Wears out his welcome too quick fer meP' 94 THE TOY PENNY-DOG MA put my Penny-Dog Safe on the shelf, An' left no one home but him, Me an' myself; So I clumbed a big chair I pushed to the wall — But the Toy Penny-Dog Ain't there at all I I went back to Dolly— An' she 'uz gone too, An' little Switch 'uz layin' there; — An' Ma says "Boo!"— An' there she wuz a-peepin' Through the front- room door: An' I ain't goin' to be bad Little girl no more 1 95 OUR BETSY } US childern 's all so lonesome We hardly want to play Or skip or swing or anything,- 'Cause Betsy she's away! She's gone to see her people At her old home. — But then — Oh! ev'ry child '11 jist be wild When she's back here again! Then it's whoopty-doopty dooden!^ Whoopty-dooden then! Oh! it's whoopty-doopty dooden. When Betsy's back again! She's like a mother to us, And like a sister, too — Oh! she's as sweet as things to eat When all the dinner 's through i iAnd hey! to hear her laughin'! And ho! to hear her sing! — To have her back is all we lack Of havin' everything! 96 Then ifs whoopty-doopty doodenl — Whoopty-dooden then! Oh! it's whoopty-doopty dooden. When Betsy's hack again! Oh I some may sail the northern lakes, And some to foreign lands, And some may seek old Nameless Creek, Or India's golden sands; Or some may go to Kokomo, And some to Mackinac, — But I'll go down to Morgantown To fetch our Betsy back. Then it's whoopty-doopty dooden! — Whoopty-dooden then! Oh! it's whoopty-doopty dooden, When Betsy's hack again! LULLABY THE maple strews the embers of its leaves O'er the laggard swallows nestled 'neath the eaves And the moody cricket falters in his cry — Baby-bye I — And the lid of night is falling o'er the sky — Baby-bye 1 — The lid of night is falling o'er the sky I The rose is lying pallid, and the cup Of the frosted calla-lily folded up; And the breezes through the garden sob and sigh — Baby-bye I — O'er the sleeping blooms of summer where they lie— < Baby-bye ! — O'er the sleeping blooms of summer where they lie! Yet, Baby — O my Baby, for your sake This heart of mine is ever wide awake, And my love may never droop a drowsy eye— Baby-bye! — Till your own are wet above me when I die — Baby-bye! — Till your own are wet above me when I die. 98 THE DAYS GONE BY OTHE days gone by ! O the days gone by ! The apples in the orchard, and the pathway through the rye; The chirrup of the robin, and the whistle of the quail As he piped across the meadows sweet as any night- ingale ; When the bloom was on the clover, and the blue was in the sky, And my happy heart brimmed over, in the days gone by. In the days gone by, when my naked feet were tripped By the honeysuckle tangles where the water-lilies dipped, And the ripples of the river lipped the moss along the brink Where the placid-eyed and lazy-footed cattle came to drink. And the tilting snipe stood fearless of the truant's way- ward cry And the splashing of the swimmer, in the days gone by. 99 O the days gone by! O the days gone by! The music of the laughing lip, the luster of the eye; The childish faith in fairies, and Aladdin's magic ring — The simple, soul-reposing, glad belief in every thing, — When life was like a story holding neither sob nor sigh. In the golden olden glory of the days gone by. 100 LITTLE COUSIN JASPER 1ITTLE Cousin Jasper, he Don't live in this town, like mc,- ^ He lives 'way to Rensselaer, An' ist comes to visit here. He says 'at our court-house square Ain't nigh big as theirn is there! — He says their town's big as four Er five towns like this, an' more! He says ef his folks moved here He'd cry to leave Rensselaer — 'Cause they's prairie there, an' lakes, An' wile-ducks an' rattlesnakes ! Yes, 'n' little Jasper's Pa Shoots most things you ever sawl— Wunst he shot a deer, one day, 'At swummed off an' got away. lOI Little Cousin Jasper went An' camped out wunst in a tent Wiv his Pa, an' belt his gun While he kilt a turrapun. An' when his Ma heerd o' that, An* more things his Pa's bin at, She says, "Yes, 'n' he'll git shot 'Fore he's man-grown, like as notl" An' they's mussrats there, an' minks, An' di-dippers, an' chee-winks, — Yes, 'n' cal'mus-root you chew All up an' 't 'on't pizen you! An', in town, 's a flag-pole there — Highest one 'at's an5rwhere In this world ! — ^wite in the street Where the big mass-meetin's meet Yes, 'n' Jasper he says they Got a brass band there, an' play On it, an' march up an' down An' all over round the town ! Wisht our town ain't like it is ! — Wisht it's ist as big as his ! Wisht 'at his folks they'd move here. An' we'd move to Rensselaer I I02 IRY AND BILLY AND JO A TINTYPE IRY an' Billy an' Jo 1— Iry an' Billy's the boys, An' Jo's their dog, you know, — Their pictur's took all in a row. Bet they kin kick up a noise — Iry an' Billy, the boys. An' that-air little dog Jo I Iry's the one 'at stands Up there a-lookin' so mild An' meek — with his hat in his hands, Like such a 'bediant child — (Sakes-alivef) — ^An' Billy he sets In the cheer an' holds on to Jo an' sweats Hisse'f, a-lookin' so good! Ho-hol Iry an' Billy an' Jo 1 103 Yit the way them boys, you know, Usen to jes' turn in An' j&ght over that dog Jo Wuz a burnin'-shame-an'-a-sini — Iry he'd argy 'at, by gee-whizz! That-air little Jo-dog wuz hh! — An' Billy he'd claim it wuzn't so — 'Cause the dog wuz hisn! — An' at it they'd go, Nip-an'-tugg, tooth-an'-toe-nail, you know — Iry an' Billy an' Jo! But their Pa — (He wuz the marshal then) — He 'tended-like 'at he jerked 'em up; An' got a jury o' Brick-yard men An' hclt a trial about the pup : An' he says he jes' like to 'a' died When the rest o' us town-boys testified — Regardin', you know, Iry an' Billy an' Jo! 'Cause we all knowed, when the Gipsies they Camped down here by the crick last Fall, They brung Jo with 'em, an' give him away To Iry an' Billy fer nothin' at all! — So the jury fetched in the verdick so Jo he ain't neether o' theirn fer shore — He's both their dog, an' jes' no morel An' so They've quit quarrelin' long ago, Iry an' Billy an' Jo. 104 THE RUNAWAY BOY W UNST I sassed my Pa, an' he Won't stand that, an' punished me,- Nen when he was gone that day, I slipped out an' runned away. I tooked all my copper-cents. An' clumbed over our back fence In the jimpson-weeds 'at growed Ever'where all down the road. Nen I got out there, an' nen I runned some — an' runned again When I met a man 'at led A big cow 'at shooked her head. I went down a long, long lane Where was little pigs a-play'n'; An' a grea'-big pig went "Boohl" An' jumped up, an' skeered me too. Nen I scampered past, an' they Was somebody hollered "Hey I" An' I ist looked ever'where, An' they was nobody there. I want to, but I'm 'fraid to try To go back. . . .An' by-an'-by, Somepin' hurts my throat inside^ An' I want my Ma — an' cried. Nen' a grea'-big girl come through Where's a gate, an' telled me who Am I? an' ef I tell where My home's at she'll show me there. But I couldn't ist but tell What's my name; an' she says well. An' she tooked me up an' says She know where I live, she guess. io6 Nen she telled me hug wite close Round her neck! — an' off she goes Skippin' up the street! An' nen Purty soon I'm home again. An' my Ma, when she kissed me, Kissed the big girl too, an' she Kissed me — ef I p'omise shore I won't run away no more! BILLY MILLER'S CIRCUS-SHOW AT Billy Miller's Circus-Show— / % In their old stable where it's at- "^ -^ The boys pays twenty pins to go, An' gits their money's-worth at that I — 'Cause Billy he can climb an' chalk His stockin'-feet an' purt'-nigh walk A tight-rope — ^yes, an' ef he fall He'll ketch, an' "skin a cat"— 'at's all! He ain't afeard to swing an' hang 1st by his legs 1 — an' mayby stop An' yell "Look out I" an' nen — k-spangi — He'll let loose, upside-down, an' drop Wite on his hands I An' nen he'll do "Contortion-acts" — ist limber through As "Injarubber Mens" 'at goes With shore-fer-certain circus-shows! io8 At Billy Miller's Circus-Show He's got a circus- ring — an' they's A dressin'-room, — so's he can go An' dress an' paint up when he plays He's somepin' else ; — 'cause sometimes he's "Ringmaster" — bossin' like he please — An' sometimes "Ephalunt" — er "Bare- Back Rider," prancin' out o' there ! An' sometimes — an' the best of all ! — He's "The Old Clown," an' got on clo'es All stripud, — an' white hat, all tall An' peakud — like in shore-'nuff shows^ — An' got three-cornered red-marks, too. On his white cheeks — ist like they do ! — An' you'd ist die, the way he sings An' dances an' says funny things I THE LAND OF USED-TO-BE AND Where's the Land of Used-to-be, does little Zjk baby wonder? -^ -^Oh, we will clap a magic saddle over "Pop- um's" knee And ride away around the world, and in and out and under The whole of all the golden sunny Summertime and see. Leisurely and lazy-like we'll jostle on our journey. And let the pony bathe his hooves and cool them in the dew. As he sidles down the shady way and lags along the ferny And green grassy edges of the lane we travel through. !IO And then we'll canter on to catch the bubble of the thistle As it bumps among the butterflies and glimmers down the sun, To leave us laughing, all content to hear the robin whistle Or guess what Katydid is saying little Katy's done. And pausing here a minute, where we hear the squirrel chuckle As he darts from out the underbrush and scampers up the tree. We will gather buds and locust-blossoms, leaves and honeysuckle, To wreathe around our foreheads, riding into Used-to-be ; — For here's the very rim of it that we go swinging over — Don't you hear the Fairy bugles, and the tinkle of the bells. And see the baby-bumblebees that tumble in the clover And dangle from the tilted pinks and tipsy pim- pernels? Ill And don't you see the merry faces of the daffodillies, And the jolly Johnny-jump-ups, and the buttercups a-glee, And the low, lolling ripples ring around the water- lilies? — All greeting us with laughter, to the Land of Used-to-be! And here among the blossoms of the blooming vines and grasses, With a haze forever hanging in a sky forever blue, And with a breeze from over-seas to kiss us as it passes. We will romp around forever as the airy Elfins do I For all the elves of earth and air are swarming here together — The prankish Puck, King Oberon, and Queen Titania too; And dear old Mother Goose herself, as sunny as the weather. Comes dancing down the dewy walks to welcome me and you! THE CLOVER SOME sings of the lilly, and daisy, and rose, And the pansies and pinks that the Summer- time throws In the green grassy lap of the medder that lays Blinkin' up at the skyes through the sunshiny days ; But what is the lilly and all of the rest Of the flowers, to a man with a hart in his brest That was dipped brimmin' full of the honey and dew Of the sweet clover-blossoms his babyhood knew? I never set eyes on a clover-field now, Er fool round a stable, er climb in the mow. But my childhood comes back jest as clear and as plane As the smell of the clover I'm sniffin' again ; And I wunder away in a barefooted dream, Whare I tangle my toes in the blossoms that gleam With the dew of the dawn of the morning of love Ere it wept ore the graves that I'm weepin' above. "3 And so I love clover — ^it seems like a part Of the sacerdest sorrows and joys of my hart; And wharever it blossoms, oh, thare let me bow And thank the good God as I'm thankin' Him now; And I pray to Him still f er the stren'th when I die. To go out in the clover and tell it good-by, And lovin'ly nestle my face in its bloom While my soul slips away on a breth of purfume. 114 OUT TO OLD AUNT MARY'S W ASN'T it pleasant, O brother mine, In those old days of the lost sunshine Of youth — ^When the Saturday's chores were through, And the "Sunday's wood" in the kitchen, too. And we went visiting, "me and you," Out to Old Aunt Mary's? — "Me and you" — And the morning fair. With the dewdrops twinkling everywhere ; The scent of the cherry-blossoms blown After us, in the roadway lone. Our capering shadows onward thrown—* Out to Old Aunt Mary's. "5 It all comes back so clear to-day! Though I am as bald as you are gray, — Out by the barn-lot and down the lane We patter along in the dust again, As light as the tips of the drops of the rain, Out to Old Aunt Mary's. The last few houses of the town ; Then on, up the high creek-bluffs and down ; Past the squat toll-gate, with its well-sweep pole; The Bridge, and "the old 'babtizin'-hole,' " Loitering, awed, o'er pool and shoal, Out to Old Aunt Mary's. We cross the pasture, and through the wood, Where the old gray snag of the poplar stood. Where the hammering "red-heads" hopped awry, And the buzzard "raised" in the "clearing"-sky And lolled and circled, as we went by Out to Old Aunt Mary's. Or, stayed by the glint of the redbird's wings, Or the glitter of song that the bluebird sings, All hushed we feign to strike strange trails, As the "big braves" do in the Indian tales, Till again our real quest lags and fails — Out to Old Aunt Mary's. — ii6 And the woodland echoes with yells of mirth That make old war-whoops of minor worth I . . . Where such heroes of war as we? — With bows and arrows of fantasy, Chasing each other from tree to tree Out to Old Aunt Mary's! And then in the dust of the road again ; And the teams we met, and the countrymen ; And the long highway, with sunshine spread As thick as butter on country bread, Our cares behind, and our hearts ahead Out to Old Aunt Mary's. — For only, now, at the road's next bend To the right we could make out the gable-end Of the fine old Huston homestead — not Half a mile from the sacred spot Where dwelt our Saint in her simple cot- Out to Old Aunt Mary's. Why, I see her now in the open door Where the little gourds grew up the sides and o'er The clapboard roof! — And her face — ah, me I Wasn't it good for a boy to see — And wasn't it good for a boy to be Out to Old Aunt Mary's?-^ 117 The jelly — the jam and the marmalade, And the cherry and quince "preserves" she made I And the sweet-sour pickles of peach and peaf, With cinnamon in 'em and all things rare! — And the more we ate was the more to spare, Out to Old Aunt Mary's ! Ah, was there, ever, so kind a face And gentle as hers, or such a grace Of welcoming, as she cut the cake Or the juicy pies that she joyed to make Just for the visiting children's sake — Out to Old Aunt Mary's! The honey, too, in its amber comb One only finds in an old farm-home ; And the coffee, fragrant and sweet, and hoi So hot that we gloried to drink it so, With spangles of tears in our eyes, you know- Out to Old Aunt Mary's. And the romps we took, in our glad unrest I — Was it the lawn that we loved the best, With its swooping swing in the locust trees, Or was it the grove, with its leafy breeze. Or the dim haymow, with its f ragrancies— > Out to Old Aunt Mary's. ii8 Far fields, bottom-lands, creek-banks — all, We ranged at will. — ^Where the waterfall Laughed all day as it slowly poured Orer the dam by the old mill-ford. While the tail-race writhed, and the mill-wheel roared — Out to Old Aunt Mary's. But home, with Aunty in nearer call, That was the best place, after all I — The talks on the back porch, in the low Slanting sun and the evening glow. With the voice of counsel that touched us so, Out to Old Aunt Mary's. And then, in the garden — near the side Where the beehives were and the path was wide, — The apple-house — like a fairy cell — With the little square door we knew so well. And the wealth inside but our tongues could tell- Out to Old Aunt Mary's. And the old spring-house, in the cool green gloom Of the willow trees, — and the cooler room Where the swinging shelves and the crocks were kept, Where the cream in a golden languor slept, While the waters gurgled and laughed and wept- Out to Old Aunt Mary's. 119 And as many a time have you and I— ■ Barefoot boys in the days gone by — Knelt, and in tremulous ecstasies Dipped our lips into sweets like these,— Memory now is on her knees Out to Old Aunt Mary's. — For, O my brother so far away, This is to tell you — she waits to-day To welcome us : — ^Aunt Mary fell Asleep this morning, whispering, "Tell The boys to come." . . . And all is well Out to Old Aunt Mary's. THE OLD HAY-MOW THE Old Hay-mow's the place to play Per boys, when it's a rainy day! I good 'eal ruther be up there Than down in town, er anywhere ! When I play in our stable-loft. The good old hay's so dry an' soft, An' feels so fine, an' smells so sweet, I 'most ferget to go an' eat. An' one time wunst I did ferget To go 'tel dinner was all et, — An' they had short-cake — an' — Bud He Hogged up the piece Ma saved fer me. 121 Nen I won't let him play no more In our hay-mow where I keep store An' got hen-eggs to sell, — an' shoo The cackle-un old hen out, too ! An' nen, when Aunty she was here A-visitun from Rensselaer, An' bringed my little cousin, — He Can come up there an' play with me; But, after while — ^when Bud he bets 'At I can't turn no summersetts, — I let him come up, ef he can Ac' ha'f-way like a gentleman I THE SQUIRT-GUN UNCLE MAKED ME UNCLE SIDNEY, when he wuz here, Maked me a squirt-gun out o' some Elder-bushes 'at growed out near Where wuz the brick-yard — 'way out clear To where the Toll Gate come ! So when we walked back home again, He maked it, out in our woodhouse where Wuz the old work-bench, an' the old jack-plane, An' the old 'poke-shave, an' the tools all lay'n' 1st like he wants 'em there. 123 He sawed it first with the old hand-saw ; An' nen he peeled oflf the bark, an' got Some glass an' scraped it ; an' told 'bout Pa, When he wuz a boy an' fooled his Ma, An' the whippin' 'at he caught. Nen Uncle Sidney, he took an' filed A' old arn ramrod ; an' one o' the ends He screwed fast into the vise ; an' smiled, Thinkin', he said, o' when he wuz a child, 'Fore him an' Pa wuz mens. He punched out the peth, an' nen he putt A plug in the end with a hole notched through ; Nen took the old drawey-knife an' cut An' maked a handle 'at shoved clean shut But ist where yer hand held to. An' he wropt th' uther end with some string an' white Piece o' the sleeve of a' old tored shirt; An' nen he showed me to hold it tight. An' suck in the water an' work it rights An' it 'ud ist squirt an' squirt! THE BOYS' CANDIDATE LAS' time 'at Uncle Sidney come, He bringed a watermelon home — An' half the boys in town Come taggin' after him. — An' he Says, when we et it, — ''Gracious me! 'S the boy-house fell down?!* LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE LITTLE Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay, An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an* bresh the crumbs away, An' shoo the chickens oflF the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep, An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep ; An' all us other childern, when the supper-things is done. We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun A-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about. An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you Ef you Don't Watch Outl 136 Onc't they was a little boy wouldn't say his prayers, — So when he went to bed at night, away up stairs. His Mammy heerd him holler, an' his Daddy heerd him bawl, An' when they turn't the kiwers down, he wasn't there at all! An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an' cubby- hole, an' press, An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' ever'wheres, I guess; But all they ever found was thist his pants an' round> about: — An' the Gobble-uns'U git you Ef you Don't Watch OutI An' one time a little girl 'ud alius laugh an' grin. An' make fun of ever'one, an' all her blood an' kin; An' onc't, when they was "company," an' ole folks was there, She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't care I An' thist as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide, They was two great big Black Things a-standin' by her side, 127 An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she -= knowed what she's about! An' the Gobble-uns'll git you Ef you Don't Watch Out I An' little Orphant Annie says when the blaze is blue, An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-ool An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray, An' the lightnin'-bugs in dew is all squenched away, — You better mind yer parunts an' yer teachers fond an' dear, An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear. An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about, Er the Gobble-uns'll git you Ef you Don't Watch Out I A SONG OF LONG AGO A SONG of Long Ago: /\ Sing it lightly — sing it low — ■A. JL Sing it softly — ^like the lisping of the lips we we used to know When our baby-laughter spilled From the glad hearts ever filled With music blithe as robin ever trilled! Let the fragrant summer breeze, And the leaves of locust-trees, And the apple-buds and -blossoms, and the wings of honey-bees, All palpitate with glee, Till the happy harmony Brings back each childish joy to you and me. Let the eyes of fancy turn Where the tumbled pippins bum Like embers in the orchard's lap of tangled grass and fern, — There let the old path wind In and out, and on behind The dder-press that chuckles as we grind. 129 Blend in the song the moan Of the dove that grieves alone, And the wild whir of the locust, and the bumble's drowsy drone; And the low of cows that call Through the pasture-bars when all The landscape fades away at evenfall. Then, far away and dear. Through the dusky atmosphere. Let the wailing of the killdee be the only sound we hear: O sad and sweet and low As the memory may know Is the glad-pathetic song of Long Ago! 130 BILLY AND HIS DRUM HOI it's come, kids, cornel With a bim! bam! bum! Here's little Billy bangin' on his big bass drum 1 He's a-marchin' round the room, With his feather-duster plume A-noddin' an' a-bobbin' with his bim! bam! boom! Looky, little Jane an' Jim! Will you only look at him, A-humpin' an' a-thumpin' with his bam! bom! bim! Has the Day o' Judgment come Er the New Mi-len-nee-um? Er is it only Billy with his bim! bam! bum! I'm a-comin' ; yes, I am — Jim an' Sis, an' Jane an' Sam! We'll all march off with Billy and his bom ! bim ! bam ! Come hurrowin' as you come, Er they'll think you're deef-an'-dumb Ef you don't hear little Billy an' his big bass drum ! 131 THE BOY LIVES ON OUR FARM THE Boy lives on our Farm, he's not Afeard o' horses none! An' he can make 'em lope, er trot, Er rack, er pace, er run. Sometimes he drives two horses, when He comes to town an' brings A wagon-full o' 'taters nen, An' roastin'-ears an' things. Two horses is "a team," he says, — An' when you drive er hitch. The right-un's a "near-horse," I guess, Er "off"— I don't know which.— The Boy lives on our Farm, he told Me, too, 'at he can see. By lookin' at their teeth, how old A horse is, to a TI 132 I'd be the gladdest boy alive Ef I knowed much as that, An' could stand up like him an' drive, An' ist push back my hat, Like he comes skallyhootin' through Our alley, with one arm A-wavin' Fare-ye-well ! to you — The Boy lives on our Farm! COIN' TO THE FAIR Old Style WHEN Me an' my Ma an' Pa went to the Fair, Ma borried Mizz Rollins-uz rigg to go there, 'Cause our buggy's new, an' Ma says, "Mercy- sake! It wouldn't hold half the folks she's go' to take!" An' she took Marindy, an' Jane's twins, an' Jo, An' Aunty Van Meters-uz girls — an' old Slo' Magee, 'at's so fat, come a-scrougin' in there, When me an' my Ma an' Pa went to the Fair! The road's full o' loads-full 'ist ready to bu'st. An' all hot, an' smokin' an' chokin' with dust; The Wolffs an' their wagon, an' Brizentines, too — An' horses 'ist r'ared when the toot-cars come through! An' 'way from fur off we could hear the band play, An' peoples all there 'u'd 'ist whoop an' hooray! An' I stood on the dashboard, an' Pa boost' me there 'Most high as the fence, when we went to the Fair. 134 An' when we 'uz there an' inside, we could see Wher' the flag's on a pole wher' a show's go' to be; An' boys up in trees, an' the grea'-big balloon 'At didn't goned up a-tall, all afternoon! An' a man in the crowd there gived money away — An' Pa says "he'd ruther earn his by the day!" — An' he gim-me some, an' says "ain't nothin' there Too good fer his boy," when we went to the Fair. Wisht the Raggedy Man wuz there, too! — but he says, "Don't talk fairs to me, child! I went to one; — ^yes, — An' there wuz a swing there ye rode — an' I rode, An' a thing-um-a-jing 'at ye blowed — an' I blowed; An' they wuz a game 'at ye played — an' I played, An' a hitch in the same wher' ye paid — an' I paid; An' they wuz two bad to one good peoples there — Like you an' your Pa an' Ma went to the Fair!" THE DOODLE BUGS'S CHARM WHEN Uncle Sidney he conies here- An' Fred an' me an' Min, — My Ma she says she bet you yet The roof 11 tumble in! For Uncle he ist romps with us: An' wunst, out in our shed, He telled us 'bout the Doodle-Bugs, An' what they'll do, he said, Ef you'll ist holler "Doodle-Bugs!"— Out by our garden-bed — "Doodle-Bugs! Doodle-Bugs! Come up an' git some bread!" ^36 Ain't Uncle Sidney funny man?— "He's childish 'most as me" — My Ma sometimes she tells him that— "He ac's so foolishly!" Wy, wunst, out in our garden-path Wite by the pie-plant bed, He all sprawled out there in the dirt An' ist scrooched down his head, An' "Doodle 1 Doodle! Doodle-BugsT My Uncle Sidney said, — "Doodle-Bugs ! Doodle-Bugs ! Come up an' git some bread !" An' nen he showed us little holes All bored there in the ground, An' little weenty heaps o' dust 'At's piled there all around : An' Uncle said, when he's like us, Er purt' nigh big as Fred, That wuz the Doodle-Bugs's Charm- To call 'em up, he said : — "Doodle! Doodle! Doodle-Bugs!" An' they'd poke out their head — "Doodle-Bugs! Doodle-Bugs! Come up an' git some bread!" 137 MISTER HOP-TOAD HOWDY, Mister Hop-Toad ! Glad to see you out I Bin a month o' Sund'ys sense I seen you here- about. Kind o* bin a-layin' in, from the frost and snow? Good to see you out ag'in, it's bin so long ago I Plow's like slicin' cheese, and sod's loppin' over even ; Loam's like gingerbread, and clod's sof ter'n deceivin' — Mister Hop-Toad, honest-true — Spring-time — don't you love it? You old rusty rascal you, at the bottom of it! Oh! oh! oh! I grabs up my old hoe ; But I sees you, Ands'I,"Ooh-ooh! Howdy, Mister Hop-Toad! How-dee-'do!" 138 Make yourse'f more comfo'bler — square 'round at your ease — Don't set saggin' slanchwise, with your nose below your knees. Swell that fat old throat o' yourn and lemme see you swaller; Straighten up and h'ist your head! — You don't owe a dollar!— Hain't no mor'gage on your land — ner no taxes, nuther; You don't haf to work no roads, even ef you'd ruther. 'F I was you, and fixed like you, I really wouldn't keer To swap fer life and hop right in the presidential cheer! Oh! oh! oh! I hauls back my old hoe ; But I sees you, And s' I, "Ooh-ooh! Howdy, Mister Hop-Toad! How-dee-do I" 'Long about next Aprile, hoppin' down the furry. Won't you mind I ast you what 'peared to be the hurry? — Won't you mind I hooked my hoe and hauled you back and smiled? — W'y, bless you. Mister Hop-Toad, I love you like a child! S'pose I'd want to 'flict you any more'n what you air? — S'pose I think you got no rights 'cept the warts you wear? ^39 Hulk, sulk, and blink away, you old bloat-eyed rowdy!— Hain't you got a word to say?— Won't you tell me "Howdy"? Ohiohloh! I swish round my old hoe; But I sees you, And s' I, "Ooh-ooh! Howdy, Mister Hop-Toad I How-dee-do I" OUR HIRED GIRL OUR hired girl, she's 'Lizabuth Ann; I An' she can cook best things to eatl She ist puts dough in our pie-pan, An' pours in somepin' 'at's good and sweet, An' nen she salts it all on top With cinnamon; an' nen she'll stop An' stoop an' slide it, ist as slow, In th' old cook-stove, so's 'twon't slop An' git all spilled; nen bakes it, so It's custard pie, first thing you know I An' nen she'll say: "Clear out o' my way! They's time fer work, an' time fer play! — Take yer dough, an' run. Child; run I Er I cain't git no cookin' donel" 141 When our hired girl 'tends like she's mad. An' says folks got to walk the chalk When she's around, er wisht they had, I play out on our porch an' talk Toth' Raggedy Man 'at mows our lawn; An' he says "Whew!" an' nen leans on His old crook-scythe, and blinks his eyes An' sniffs all round an' says, — "I swawnl Ef my old nose don't tell me lies, It 'pears like I smell custard-pies I" An' nen he'll say, — "'Clear out o' my way! They's time fer work an' time fer play! Take yer dough, an' run. Child; run I Er she cain't git no cookin' done I'" Wunst our hired girl, when she Got the supper, an' we all et, An' it was night, an' Ma an' me An' Pa went wher' the "Social" met,— An' nen when we come home, an' see A light in the kitchen-door, an' we Heerd a maccordeun. Pa says "Lan*- O'-Graciousl who can her beau be?" 142 An' I marched in, an' 'Lizabuth Ann Wuz parchin' corn fer the Raggedy Man! Better say "Clear out o' the wayl They's time fer work, an' time fer play! Take the hint, an' run. Child; run I Er we cain't git no courtin' donel" WHEN EARLY MARCH SEEMS MIDDLE MAY WHEN country roads begin to thaw In mottled spots of damp and dust, And fences by the margin draw Along the frosty crust Their graphic silhouettes, I say, ' The Spring is coming round this way. When morning-time is bright with sun And keen with wind, and both confuse The dancing, glancing eyes of one With tears that ooze and ooze — And nose-tips weep as well as they. The Spring is coming round this way. When suddenly some shadow-bird Goes wavering beneath the gaze, And through the hedge the moan is heard Of kine that fain would graze In grasses new, I smile and say. The Spring is coming round this way. When knotted horse-tails are untied, And teamsters whistle here and there, And clumsy mitts are laid aside And choppers' hands are bare, 144 And chips are thick where children play, The Spring is coming round this way. When through the twigs the farmer tramps. And troughs are chunked beneath the trees. And fragrant hints of sugar-camps Astray in every breeze, — When early March seems middle May, The Spring is coming round this way. When coughs are changed to laughs, and when Our frowns melt into smiles of glee, And all our blood thaws out again In streams of ecstasy, And poets wreak their roundelay, The Spring is coming round this way. 145 THE TOY-BALLOON THEY wuz a Big Day wunst in town, An' little Jason's Pa Buyed him a little toy-balloon, The first he ever saw. — An' oh I but Jase wuz more'n proud, A-holdin' to the string An' scrougin' through the grea'-big crowd. To hear the Glee Club sing. The Glee Club it wuz goin' to sing In old Masonic Hall; An' Speakin', it wuz in there, too. An' soldiers, folks an' all, An' Jason's Pa he git a seat An' set down purty soon, A-holdin' little Jase, an' him A-holdin' his balloon. 146 An' while the Speakin' 's startin' up An' ever'body still — The first you know wuz little Jase A-yellin'fittokilll— Nen Jason's Pa jump on his seat An' grab up in the air, — But little Jason's toy-balloon Wuz clean away from there! An' Jase he yelled; an' Jase's Pa, Still lookin' up, dumb down — While that-air little toy-balloon Went bumpin' roun' an' roun' Ag'inst the ceilin', 'way up there Where ever'body saw. An' they all yelled, an' Jason yelled An' little Jason's Pa! But when his Pa he packed him out A-screamin' — nen the crowd Looked down an' hushed — till they looked up An' howled ag'in out loud ; An' nen the speaker, mad an' pale, Jist turned an' left the stand. An' all j'ined in the Glee Club— "Hail,, Columby, Happy Land!" H7 THE BOY PATRIOT 1WANT to be a Soldier!— A Soldier!— A Soldier!— I want to be a Soldier, with a saber in my hand Or a little carbine rifle, or a musket on my shoulder, Or just a snare-drum, snarling in the middle of the band; I want to hear, high overhead, The Old Flag flap her wings While all the Army, following, in chorus cheers and sings ; I want to hear the tramp and jar Of patriots a million. As gaily dancing off to war As dancing a cotillion. 7 want to be a Soldier! — A Soldier!— A Soldier!— I want to be a Soldier, with a saber in my hand Or a little carbine rifle, or a musket on my shoulder, Or just a snare-drum, snarling in the middle of the band. 148 I want to see the battle! — The battle I— The battle I— I want to see the battle, and be in it to the end; — I want to hear the cannon clear their throats and catch the prattle Of all the pretty compliments the enemy can send I — And then I know my wits will go, — and where I shouldn't be- Well, there's the spot, in any fight, that you may search for me. So, when our foes have had their fill. Though I'm among the dying. To see The Old Flag flying still, I'll laugh to leave her flying! I svant to be a Soldier/ — A Soldier/ — A Soldier/ — I want to be a Soldier, with a saber in my hand Or a little carbine rifle, or a musket on my shoulder, Or just a snare-drum, snarling in the middle of the band. o® WHAT LITTLE SAUL GOT FOR CHRISTMAS US PARENTS mostly thinks our own's The smartest childern out! But widder Shelton's little Saul Beats all I know about! He's weakly-like — in p'int o' health. But strong in word and deed And heart and head, and snap and spunk, And alius in the lead! Come honest' by it, fer his Pa — A?ore he passed away — He was a leader — (Lord, I'd like To hear him preach to-day!) He led his flock; he led in prayer Fer spread o' Peace — ^and when Nothin' but War could spread it, he Was first to lead us then! So little Saul has grit to take Things jes as they occur; And sister Shelton's proud o' him As he is proud o' herl And when she "got up" — ^jes fer him And little playmates all — A Chris'mus-tree, — they ever'one Was there but little Saul. — Pore little chap was sick in bed Next room; and Doc was there, And said the childern might file past, But go right back to where The tree was, in the settin'-room. And Saul jes laid and smiled — Ner couldn't nod, ner wave his hand, It hurt so — Bless the child! And so they left him there with Doc — And warm tear of his Ma's Then — suddent-like — high over all Their laughture and applause — They heerd, — "I don't care what you git On yer old Chris'mus-tree, 'Cause I'm got somepin' you all haint, — I'm got the pleurisy!" 15? THE ALL-GOLDEN THROUGH every happy line I sing I feel the tonic of the Spring. The day is like an old-time face That gleams across some grassy place — An old-time face — an old-time chum Who rises from the grave to come And lure me back along the ways Of time's all-golden yesterdays. Sweet day ! to thus remind me of The truant boy I used to love — To set, once more, his finger-tips Against the blossom of his lips, And pipe for me the signal known By none but him and me alone! II I see, across the schoolroom floor, The shadow of the open door, And dancing dust and sunshine blent Slanting the way the morning went, And beckoning my thoughts afar Where reeds and running waters are ; 152 Where amber-colored bayous glass The half-drown'd weeds and wisps of grass. Where sprawling frogs, in loveless key. Sing on and on incessantly. Against the green wood's dim expanse The cattail tilts its tufted lance, While on its tip — one might declare The white "snake-feeder" blossomed there! Ill I catch my breath, as children do In woodland swings when life is new. And all the blood is warm as wine And tingles with a tang divine. My soul soars up the atmosphere And sings aloud where God can hear, And all my being leans intent To mark His smiling wonderment. O gracious dream, and gracious time. And gracious theme, and gracious rhyme — When buds of Spring begin to blow In blossoms that we used to know And lure us back along the ways Of time's all-golden yesterdays ! 153 NAUGHTY CLAUDE WHEN Little Claude was naughty wunst At dinner-time, an' said He won't say "Thank you" to his Ma, She maked him go to bed An' stay two hours an' not git up, — So when the clock struck Two, Nen Claude says, — "Thank you, Mr. Clock, I'm much obleeged to you I" 154 LITTLE MANDY'S CHRISTMAS-TREE LITTLE Mandy and her Ma 'S porest folks you ever saw! — Lived in porest house in town, Where the fence 'uz all tore down. And no front-door steps at all — 1st a' old box 'g'inst the wall; And no door-knob on the door Outside. — My! but they 'uz pore! Wuz no winder-shutters on, And some of the winders gone, And where they 'uz broke they'd pas*e 1st brown paper 'crost the place. Tell you! when it's winter there, And the snow ist ever'where. Little Mandy's Ma she say 'Spec' they'll freeze to death some day. Wunst my Ma and me — ^when we Be'n to church, and's goin' to be Chris'mus purty soon, — ^we went [There — like the Committee sent. »55 And-sir! when we're in the door, Wuz no carpet on the floor, And no fire — and heels-and-head Little Mandy's tucked in bed! And her Ma telled my Ma she Got no coflfee but ist tea, And fried mush — and's all they had Sence her health broke down so bad. Nen Ma hug and hold me where Little Mandy's layin' there; And she kiss her, too, and nen Mandy kiss my Ma again. And my Ma she telled her we Goin' to have a Chris'mus-Tree, At the Sund'y School, 'at's fer All the childem, and fer her. Little Mandy think — ^nen she Say, "What is a Chris'mus-Tree?" . Nen my Ma she gived her Ma Somepin' 'at I never saw. And say she must take it, — and She ist maked her keep her hand Wite close shut, — and nen she kiss Her hand — shut ist like it is. 156 Nen we corned away. . . . And nen When it's Chris'mus Eve again, And all of us childefns be At the Church and Chris'mus-Tree— And all git our toys and things 'At old Santy Claus he brings And puts on the Tree; — ^wite whecp The big Tree 'uz standin' there, And the things 'uz all tooked down, And the childerns, all in town. Got their presents — nen we see They's a little Chris'mus-Tree Wite behind the big Tree — so We can't see till nen, you know, — And it's all ist loaded down With the purtiest things in town! And the teacher smile and say: "This-here Tree 'at's hid away It's marked 'Little Mandy's Tree.*~- Little Mandy! Where is she?" Nen nobody say a word. — Stillest place you ever heard I — Till a man tiptoe up where Teacher's still a-waitin' there. 157 Nen the man he whispers, so 1st the Teacher hears, you know. Nen he tiptoe back and go Out the big door — ist as slow I Little Mandy, though, she don't , Answer — and Ma say "she won't Never, though each year they'll be 'Little Mandy's Chris'mus-Tree' Fer pore childern" — my Ma says— And Committee say they guess "Little Mandy's Tree" 'uU be Bigger than the other Tree! WET-WEATHER TALK IT hain't no use to grumble and complane; It's jest as cheap and easy to rejoice. — When God sorts out the weather and sends rain, W'y, rain's my choice. Men ginerly, to all intents — Although they're apt to grumble some — Puts most theyr trust in Providence, And takes things as they come — That is, the commonality Of men that's lived as long as me Has watched the world enugh to learn They're not the boss of this concern. With some, of course, it's different — I've saw young men that knowed it all. And didn't like the way things went On this terrestchul ball ; — But all the same, the rain, some way, Rained jest as hard on picnic day; Er, when they railly wanted it. It mayby wouldn't rain a bit 1 In this existunce, dry and wet Will overtake the best of men — Some little skift o' clouds'U shet The sun off now and then. — 159 And mayby, whilse you're wundern who You've fool-like lent your umbrell' to, And zvant it— out'U pop the sun, And you'll be glad you hain't got none ! It aggervates the farmers, too — They's too much wet, er too much sun, Er work, er waitin' round to do Before the plowin' 's done : And mayby, like as not, the wheat. Jest as it's lookin' hard to beat. Will ketch the storm — and jest about The time the corn's a-jintin' out. These-here cy-clones a-foolin' round — And back'ard crops! — and wind and rain! — And yit the corn that's wallerd down May elbow up again ! — They hain't no sense, as I can see, Fer mortuls, sich as us, to be A-faultin' Natchur's wise intents. And lockin' horns with Providence ! It hain't no use to grumble and complane ; It's jest as cheap and easy to rejoice. — When God sorts out the weather and sends rain, W'y, rain's my choice. i6o THE LAND OF THUS-AND-SO H ((T XOW would Willie like to go To the Land of Thus-and-So? Everything is proper there — All the children comb their hair Smoother than the fur of cats, Or the nap of high silk hats; Every face is clean and white As a lily washed in light; Never vaguest soil or speck Found on forehead, throat or neck; Every little crimpled ear, In and out, as pure and clear As the cherry-blossom's blow In the Land of Thus-and-So. i6i "Little boys that never fall Down the stair, or cry at all — Doing nothing to repent, Watchful and obedient; Never hungry, nor in haste — iTidy shoe-strings always laced; Never button rudely torn From its fellows all unworn; Knickerbockers always new — Ribbon, tie, and collar, too; Little watches, worn like men, Always promptly half-past ten — Just precisely right, you know, For the Land of Thus-and-SoI "And the little babies there Give no one the slightest care — Nurse has not a thing to do But be happy and sigh 'Boo!' While Mamma just nods, and knows Nothing but to doze and doze: Never litter round the grate; Never lunch or dinner late; Never any household din Peals without or rings within — Baby coos nor laughing calls On the stairs or through the halls—* Just Great Hushes to and fro Pace the Land of Thus-and-soI 162 "Oh I the Land of Thus-and-SoI— Isn't it delightful, though?" "Yes," lisped Willie, answering mc Somewhat slow and doubtfully — "Must be awfu) nice, but I Ruther wait till by-and-by 'Fore I go there — maybe when I be dead I'll go there then. — But" — the troubled little face Closer pressed in my embrace — "Le's don't never ever go To the Land of Thus-and-So!" AT AUNTY'S HOUSE ONE time, when we'z at Aunty's house — 'Way in the country! — ^where They's ist but woods — an' pigs, an' cows — An' all's outdoors an' airl — An' orchurd-swing ; an' churry-trees — An' churries in 'em! — ^Yes, an' these- Here redhead birds steals all they please, An' tetch 'em ef you dare! — Wy, wunst, one time, when we wuz there, We et out on the porch! 164 Wite where the cellar-door wuz shut The table wuz; an' I Let Aunty set by me an' cut My vittuls up — an' pie. 'Tuz awful funny 1 — I could see The redheads in the churry-tree, An' beehives, where you got to be So keerful, goin' by; — An' "Comp'ny" there an' alll — an' we — We et out on the porchi An' I ist et p'surves an' things 'At Ma don't 'low me to — An' chicken-gizzurds — (don't like wings Like Parunts does! do you?) An' all the time the wind blowed there, An' I could feel it in my hair, An' ist smell clover ever'yfherel — An' a' old redhead flew Purt'-nigh wite over my high-chair, When we et on the porch! LITTLE JOHNTS'S CHRIS'MUS WE got it up a-purpose, jes fer little Johnts, you know; His mother was so pore an' all, an' had to manage so — Jes bein' a War-widder, an' her pension mighty slim, She'd take in weavin', er work out, er anything, fer him! An' little Johnts was puny-like, but law, the nerve he hadi— You'd want to kindo' pity him, but couldn't, very bad, — His pants o' army-blanket an' his coat o' faded blue Kep' hintin' of his father, like, an' pity wouldn't do! So we collogued together, onc't, one winter-time, 'at we — Jes me an' mother an' the girls, an' Wilse, John-Jack an' Free — Would jine an' git up little Johnts, by time 'at Chris'mus come. Some sort o' doin's, don't you know, 'at would su'prise him some. i66 An' so, all on the quiet, Mother she turns in an' gits Some blue- janes — cuts an' makes a suit; an' then sets down an' knits A pair o' little galluses to go 'long with the rest — An' putts in a red-flannen back, an' buckle on the vest. — The little feller'd be'n so much around our house, you see. An' be'n sich he'p to her an' all, an' handy as could be, 'At Mother couldn't do too much fer little Johnts — No, Sir! She ust to jes declare 'at "he was meat-an'-drink to herl" An' Piney, Lide, an' Madaline they watched their chance an' rid To Fountaintown with Lijey's folks; an' bought a book, they did, O' fairy tales, with pictur's in; an' got a little pair O' red-top boots 'at John-Jack said he'd be'n a-pricin' there. An' Lide got him a little sword, an' Madaline, a drum; An' shootin'-crackers — Lawzy-day! an' they're so dangersome ! 167 An' Piney, ever' time the rest 'ud buy some other toy, She'd take an' turn in then an' buy more candy fer the boy! "Well," thinks-says-I, when they got back, "your pocketbooks is dry I" — But little Johnts was there hisse'f that afternoon, so I — Well, all of us kep' mighty mum, tel we got him away By tellin' him be shore an' come to-morry — Chris*- mus Day — An' fetch his mother 'long with him! An' how he scud acrost The fields — his towhead, in the dusk, jes like a streak o' frost! — His comfert fluttern as he run — an' old Tige, don't you know, A-jumpin' high fer rabbits an' a ploughin' up the snow! It must 'a' be'n 'most ten that night afore we got to bed — With Wilse an' John-Jack he'pin' us; an' Freeman in the shed, 1 68 An' Lide out with the lantern while he trimmed the Chris'mus-Tree Out of a little scrub-oak-top 'at suited to a "T"I All night I dreamp' o' hearin' things a-skulkin' round the place — An' "Old Kriss," with his whiskers off, an' freckles on his face — An' reindeers, shaped like shavin'-hosses at the cooper-shop, A-stickin' down the chimbly, with their heels out at the topi By time 'at Mother got me up 'twas plum' daylight an' more — [The front yard full o' neighbers all a-crowdin' round the door, With Johnts's mother leadin'; yes — an' little Johnts hisse'f, Set up on Freeman's shoulder, like a jug up on the she'f! Of course I can't describe it when they all got in to where We'd conjered up the Chris'mus-Tree an' all the fixin's there I — Fer all the shouts o' laughture — clappin' hands, an* crackin' jokes. Was heap o' kissin' goin' on amongst the women" folks : — 169 Fer, lo-behold-yel there they had that young-uni — An' his chin A-wobblin'-like ; — an', shore enough, at last he started in — An' — sich another bellerin', in all my mortal days, I never heerd, er 'spect to hear, in woe's app'inted ways! An' Mother grabs him up an' says: "It's more'n he can bear — It's all too suddent fer the child, an' too su'prisin'I —There!" "Oh, no it ain't"— sobbed little Johnts— "I ain't su'prised — ^but I'm A-cryin' 'cause I watched you all, an' knowed it all the timel" OUR KIND OF A MAN THE kind of a man for you and me! He faces the world unflinchingly, And smites, as long as the wrong resists, With a knuckled faith and force like fists : He lives the life he is preaching of, And loves where most is the need of love; His voice is clear to the deaf man's ears. And his face sublime through the blind man's tears; The light shines out where the clouds were dim. And the widow's prayer goes up for him ; The latch is clicked at the hovel door And the sick man sees the sun once more, And out o'er the barren fields he sees Springing blossoms and waving trees. Feeling as only the dying may. That God's own servant has come that way, Smoothing the path as it still winds on Through the golden gate where his loved have gone. 171 II The kind of a man for me and you! However littie of worth we do He credits full, and abides in trust That time will teach us how more is just. He walks abroad, and he meets all kinds Of querulous and uneasy minds. And, sympathizing, he shares the pain Of the doubts that rack us, heart and brain ; And, knowing this, as we grasp his hand. We are surely coming to understand! He looks on sin with pitying eyes — E'en as the Lord, since Paradise, — Else, should we read, Though our sins should glow As scarlet, they shall be white as snow? — And, feeling still, with a grief half glad. That the bad are as good as the good are bad. He strikes straight out for the Right — and he Is the kind of a man for you and me! 172 WHEN THE WORLD BU'STS THROUGH WHERE'S a boy a-goin', An' what's he goin' to do, An' how's he goin' to do it, When the world bu'sts through? Ma she says "she can't tell What we're comin' to!" An' Pop says "he's ist skeered Clean — plum — through !" S'pose we'd be a-playin* Out in the street, An' the ground 'ud split up 'Bout forty feet!— Ma says "she ist knows /F^'ud tumble in"; An' Pop says "he bets you IN en we wouldn't grinl'* 173 S'pose we ist be 'tendin* Like we had a show, Down in the stable, Where we mustn't go, — Ma says, "The earthquake Might make it fall"; An' Pop says, "More'n like Swaller barn an' alll" Landyl ef we both wuz Runnin' 'way from school, Out in the shady woods Where it's all so cool I — Ma says "a big tree Might sqush our head" ; An' Pop says, "Chop 'em out Both— killed— dead 1" But Where's a boy goin', And what's he goin' to do. An' how's he goin' to do it, Ef the world bu'sts through? Ma she says "she can't tell What we're comin' to !" An' Pop says "he's ist skeered Clean — plum — through 1" 174. THE BEAR STORY THAT ALEX "1ST MAKED UP HIS-OWN-SE'f" W'Y, wunst they wuz a Little Boy went out In the woods to shoot a Bear. So, he went out 'Way in the grea'-big woods — he did. — An' he Wuz goin' along — an' goin' along, you know, An' purty soon he heerd somepin' go "Wooh!" — 1st thataway — "Woo-ooh!" An' he wuz sheered, He wuz. An' so he runned an' clumbed a tree — A grea'-big tree, he did, — a sicka-wor^ tree. An' nen he heerd it ag'in: an' he looked round, An' 't'uz a Bear! — a grea'-big shore-nuff Bear! — No: 't'uz two Bears, it wuz — two grea'-big Bears — One of 'em wuz — ist one'z a grea'-big Bear. — But they ist boif went "Wooh!" — An' here they come To climb the tree an' git the Little Boy An' eat him up! An' nen the Little Boy He 'uz skeered worse'n ever! An' here come 175 The grea'-big Bear a-climbin' th' tree to git The Little Boy an' eat him up — Oh, nol — It 'uzn't the Big Bear 'at dumb the tree — It 'uz the Little Bear. So here he come Climbin' the tree — an' climbin' the treel Nen when He git wite clos't to the Little Boy, w'y nen The Little Boy he ist pulled up his gun An' shot the Bear, he did, an' killed him dead! An' nen the Bear he failed clean on down out The tree — away clean to the ground, he did — Spling-splung! he failed plum* down, an' killed him, too! An' lit wite side o' where the Big Bear's at. An' nen the Big Bear's awful mad, you bet! — 'Cause — 'cause the Little Boy he shot his gun An' killed the Little Bear. — ^'Cause the Big Bear He — he 'uz the Little Bear's Papa. — ^An' so here He come to climb the big old tree an' git The Little Boy an' eat him up! An' when The Little Boy he saw the grea'-big Bear A-comin', he 'uz badder skeered, he wuz. Than any time! An' so he think he'll climb Up higher — 'way up higher in the tree Than the old Bear kin climb, you know. — But he — He can't climb higher 'an old Bears kin climb, — 'Cause Bears kin climb up higher in the trees Than any little Boys in all the Wo-r-r-ldl 176 An' so here come the grea'-big Bear, he did, — A-climbin' up — an' up the tree, to git The Little Boy an' eat him up! An' so The Little Boy he clumbed on higher, an' higher, An' higher up the tree — an' higher — an' higher — An' higher'n iss-here house isl — ^An' here come Th' old Bear — clos'ter to him all the time! — An' nen — first thing you know, — ^when th' old Big Bear Wuz wite clos't to him — nen the Little Boy 1st jabbed his gun wite in the old Bear's mouf An' shot an' killed him dead! — No; I f ergot, — He didn't shoot the grea'-big Bear at all — 'Cause they 'uz no load in the gun, you know — 'Cause when he shot the Little Bear, w'y, nen No load 'uz anymore nen in the gun! But th' Little Boy clumbed higher up, he did — He clumbed lots higher — an' on up higher — an' higher An' higher — tel he ist can't climb no higher, 'Cause nen the limbs 'uz all so little, 'way Up in the teeny-weeny tip-top of The tree, they'd break down wiv him ef he don't Be keerful! So he stop an' think: An' nen He look around — An' here come th' old Bear! An' so the Little Boy make up his mind He's got to ist git out o' there some way! — 177 'Cause here come the old Bear! — so clos't, his bref's Purt' nigh so's he kin feel how hot it is Ag'inst his bare feet— ist like old "Ring's" bref When he's ben out a-huntin' an's all tired. So when th' old Bear's so clos't— the Little Boy Ist gives a grea'-big jump fer 'nother tree — No! — ^no he don't do that I — I tell you what The Little Boy does: — ^W'y, nen — ^w'y, he — Oh, yes- The Little Boy he finds a hole up there 'Afs in the tree — an' climbs in there an' hides — An' nen th' old Bear can't find the Little Boy At all! — But, purty soon th' old Bear finds The Little Boy's gun 'at's up there — 'cause the gun It's too tall to tooked wiv him in the hole. So, when the old Bear fin' the gun, he knows The Little Boy's ist hid 'round somers there, — An' th' old Bear 'gins to snuff an' sniff around. An' sniff an' snuff around — so's he kin find Out where the Little Boy's hid at. — An' nen — nen — Oh, yes! — ^W'y, purty soon the old Bear climbs 'Way out on a big limb — a grea'-long limb, — An' nen the Little Boy climbs out the hole An' takes his ax an' chops the limb off! . . . Nen The old Bear falls k-splunge! clean to the ground An' bust an' kill hisse'f plum' dead, he did I An' nen the Little Boy he git his gun An' 'menced a-climbin' down the tree ag'in — 178 No! — no, he didn't git his gun — 'cause when The Bear failed, nen the gun failed, too — ^An' broked It all to pieces, tool — An' nicest gunl — His Pa ist buyed it!— An' the Little Boy 1st cried, he did; an' went on climbin' down The tree — an' climbin' down — an' climbin' down I— An'-sir! when he 'uz purt'-nigh down, — ^w'y, nen The old Bear he jumped up ag'in! — an' he Ain't dead at all — ist 'tendin' thataway, So he kin git the Little Boy an' eat Him up! But the Little Boy he 'uz too smart To climb clean down the tree. — ^An' the old Bear He can't climb up the tree no more — 'cause when He fell, he broke one of his — he broke all His legs! — an' nen he couldn't climb! But he Ist won't go 'way an' let the Little Boy Come down out of the tree. An' the old Bear Ist growls 'round there, he does — ist growls an' goes "Wooh.f—Woo-ooh!" all the time! An' Little Boy He haf to stay up in the tree — all night — An' 'thout no supper neether! — On'y they Wuz apples on the tree! — ^An' Little Boy Et apples — ist all night — an' cried — an' cried! Nen when 't'uz morning th' old Bear went "WooKt. Ag'in, an' try to climb up in the tree An' git the Little Bdy. — But he can't Climb t'save his soul, he can't! — An' oh! he's mad!- He ist tear up the ground! an' go "Woo-ooK!" 179 »> An' — Oh, yesl — purty soon, when morning's come All light — so's you kin see, you know, — ^w'y, nen The old Bear finds the Little Boy's gun, you know, 'At's on the ground. — (An' it ain't broke at all — I ist said that!) An' so the old Bear think He'll take the gun an' shoot the Little Boy: — But Bears they don't know much 'bout shootin' guns; So when he go to shoot the Little Boy, The old Bear got the other end the gun Ag'in' his shoulder, 'stid o' th'other end — So when he try to shoot the Little Boy, It shot the Bear, it did — an' killed him dead I An' nen the Little Boy dumb down the tree An' chopped his old woolly head oflf: — ^Yes, an' killed The other Bear ag'in, he did — an' killed All boff the bears, he did — an' tuk 'em home An' cooked 'em, too, an' et 'em! —An' that's all. ON THE SUNNY SIDE HI and whoop-hooray, boys ! Sing a song of cheer! Here's a holiday, boys, Lasting half a year! Round the world, and half is Shadow we have tried; Now we're where the laugh is, — On the sunny side ! Pigeons coo and mutter. Strutting high aloof Where the sunbeams flutter Through the stable roof. Hear the chickens cheep, boys. And the hen with pride Qucking them to sleep, boys. On the sunny side! Hear the clacking guinea; Hear the cattle moo ; Hear the horses whinny. Looking out at you ! i8i On the hitching-block, boys, Grandly satisfied, See the old peacock, boys. On the sunny side ! Robins in the peach tree ; Bluebirds in the pear; Blossoms over each tree In the orchard there ! All the world's in joy, boys, Glad and glorified As a romping boy, boys. On the sunny side ! Where's a heart as mellow — Where's a soul as free — Where is any fellow We would rather be? Just ourselves or none, boys, World around and wide, Laughing in the sun, boys. On the sunny side! 182 'LIZABUTH-ANN ON BAKIN'-DAY OUR Hired Girl, when it's bakin'-day She's out o' patience alius, An' tells us "Hike outdoors an' play, An' when the cookies's done," she'll say, "Land sake! she'll come an' call usl" An' when the little doughbowl's all 1st heapin'-full, she'll come an' call — Nen say, "She ruther take a switchin' Than have a pack o' pesky childern Trackin' round the kitchen!" 183 PRIOR TO MISS BELLE'S APPEARANCE WHAT makes you come here fer, Mister, So much to our house? — Say? Come to see our big sister? — An* Charley he says 'at you kissed her An' he ketched you, th' uther day! — Didn' you, Charley? — But we p'omised Belle An' crossed our heart to never to tell — 'Cause she gired us some o' them-er Chawk'lut drops 'at you bringed to her! Charley he's my little b'uther — An' we has a-mostest fun. Don't we, Charley? — Our Muther, Whenever we whips one anuther. Tries to whip us — an' we run — Don't we, Charley? — An' nen, bime-by, Nen she gives us cake — an' pie — Don't she, Charley? — ^when we come in An' p'omise never to do it ag'in? 184 He's named Charley. — I'm Willie — An' I'm got the purtiest name ! But Uncle Bob he calls me "Billy"— Don't he, Charley?— 'N' our filly We named "Billy," the same 1st like me! An' our Ma said 'At "Bob puts foolishnuss into our head!" — Didn' she, Charley? — An' she don't Icnow Much about hoys! — 'Cause Bob said sol Baby's a funniest feller! Nain't no hair on his head — Is they, Charley? — It's meller Wite up there! An' ef Belle er Us asic wuz we that way. Ma said, — "Yes ; an' yer Pa's head wuz soft as that. An' it's that way yet!" — An' Pa grabs his hat An' says, "Yes, childern, she's right about Pa- 'Cause that's the reason he married yer Ma !" An' our Ma says 'at "Belle couldn' Ketch nothin' at all but ist 'how^ !" — An' Pa says 'at "you're soft as puddun!" — An' TJncle Boh says "you're a good-un 'Cause he can tell by yer nose!" — Didn' he, Charley?— An' when Belle'll play In the poller on th' pianer, some day. Bob makes up funny songs about you. Till she gits mad — like he wants her to I 185 Our sister Fanny she's 'leven Years old! 'At's mucher 'an / — Ain't it, Charley? . . . I'm seven!— But our sister Fanny's in Heaven! Nere's where you go ef you die ! — Don't you, Charley? — Nen you has wings— 1st like Fanny! — an' purtiest things! — Don't you, Charley? — ^An' nen you can fly — 1st flyman' fu^/thing! . . . Wisht/Vdiel JACK THE GIANT-KILLER Bad Boy's Version TELL you a story — ;an' it's a f ac' : — Wunstwuz a little boy, namewuz Jack^ An' he had sword an' buckle an' strap Maked of gold, an' a " 'visibul cap" ; An' he killed Gi'nts 'at et whole cows — Th' horns an' all — an' pigs an' sows ! But Jack, his golding sword wuz, oh I So awful sharp 'at he could go An' cut th' old Gi'nts clean in two 'Fore 'ey knowed what he wuz goin' to do I 187 An' one ole Gi'nt, he had four Heads, an' name wuz "Bumblebore" — An' he wuz feared o' Jack — 'cause he, Jack, he killed six — five — ten-three. An' all o' th' uther Gi'nts but him : An' thay wuz a place Jack haf to swim Tore he could git t' ole "Bumblebore"— Nen thay wuz "griffuns" at the door: But Jack, he thist plunged in an' swum Clean acrost; an' when he come To th' uther side, he thist put on His " 'visibul cap," an' nen, dog-gone! You couldn't see him at all! — ^An' so He slewed the "griflfuns" — boff, you knowl Nen wuz a horn bunged over his head, High on th' wall, an' words 'at read, — "Whoever kin this trumpet blow Shall cause the Gi'nt's overth'owl" An' Jack, he thist reached up an' blowed The stufEn' out of it! an' th'owed Th' castul gates wide open, an' Nen tuk his gold sword in his ban', An' thist marched in t' ole "Bumblebore," An', 'fore he knowed, he put 'bout four Heads on him — an' chopped 'em oflf, too I^ Wisht 'at I'd been Jack! — don't you? i88 UNCLE he learns us to rhyme an' write An' all be poets an' all recite : His little-est poet's his little-est niece, An' this is her little-est poetry-piece.