,*'' 4 o "^^ .^2; \<' .-2>- . • ' ' ' - <> * o « o ^ ^^ O^ * ^^oV MS;i\^ :^^- ^..^'.'i vV V^. ^ v^' V A <^ ^^ ' • • 5 ^'^ O ■■^ "o V x^-n. ^"-^^ ^ V ^ *^f ^^.^ .>^ V > -^ ,. . U/ (-<>-) \\r J> y^ \J'^ °- '.^ B o .^ U'^ o ^ . ^ ^ '' * o^ '^^ C^' X / V -^..^^ .^^lfA^ ^, ;^ 5-) WHILE THE HEART BEATS YOUNG .■^ i WbiletheHeart BeatsYoang By JamesAVfiitcomb Biley Wtth Pictures Bjr Etiiel FranMin Betts Iiidi€uaapoIi§ The Bobbs-MerrillCompsoiy Publishers J €#-*> OCT 8 1906 Copyright 1887, 1888, 1890, 1892, 1896, 1898, 1902, 1903, 1904 and 190G by James Whitcomb Riley All Rights Reserved To The Children of The Old Times and of These- With changeless love f / f i> t^ ^ i WHILE THE HEART BEATS YOUNG JTT'HILE the heart beats young ! — O the ^ ^ sf>tendor of the Springs With atl her detuy jewels on^ is not so fair a tiling I The fairest^ rarest morning of the blossom-tinie of May Is not so sweet a season as the season of to-day While Youth"^ s diviner climate folds aitd holds zts^ close caressed^ As we feel our mothers tvith us by the touch of face and breast '^ — Our bare feet i?t the meadovjs^ and our fancies up among The airy clouds of morning — while the heart beats young. While the heart beats young and our pidses leap and dance. With every day a holiday and life a glad romance^ — We hear the birds with wonder^ and with wonder watch their flight — Standings still the more enchanted^ both of hearing a?id of sight ^ Whe7i they have vanished ivhoIIy^—Jv7', infa?icy^ iving-to-%vi7ig We fly to Heaven with them y a7id^ retur7iing^ still we sing The -praises of this lovjer Heaven with tireless voice and tongue^ Eve7i as the Master sanctioiis — while the heart heats yomtg. While the heart heats yonns" I — While the heart heats young I O greejt and gold old Eart of hours, with azure overhung And looped with rainhotvs I — grant us yet this grassy lap of thine — ^ \ ^e wo idd h e still thy ch ildren , th ro ugh th e sh ower and the shine ! So pray we, lisping, whispering, iji childish love and trust. With our beseeching hands and faces lifted from the dust By fervor of t lie poem, all uiiwritteii ajid unsung. Thou givest its in answer, while the heart heats young. '^ CONTENTS Almost Beyond Endurance . . 38 At Aunty's House . 94 Bear Story, The ..... . 103 Boys' Candidate, The .... . 66 Christine's Song . . . . 24 Funniest Thing in the World, The . . 3^ Granny . . . . . . " . . . 50 Her Lonesomeness . . . 42 Impetuous Resolve, An .... . 49 Land ofUsed-to-Be,The .... . 62 Land of Thus-and-So, The . . 89 Lisper, The . . . 26 Little Johnts's Chris'mus .... . 106 Little Mandy's Christmas-Tree 83 CONTENTS— CONTINUED PAGE Little Orphant Annie .... . . 68 Lullaby . . 56 Man in the Moon, The .... • . 31 Max and Jim ...... . • 30 Naughty Claude ..... . 82 Our Betsy .,.<,.. • 54 Our Hired Girl ■ 73 Pixy People^ The ..... . 44 Raggedy Man, The ..... • 17 Runaway Boy, The ..... • 59 Some Scattering Remarks of Bub*s • 37 Sudden Shower, A .... . 20 What Little Saul Got for Christmas . . . 78 FULL-PAGE PICTURES The Raggedy Man He clumbed clean up in our big tree y An' shocked a' apple down fer me See page i8 Frontispiece The Raggedy Man An' The Raggedy Man, he knows most rhymes An' tells 'em, ef I be good, sometimes . . . ^9 ^ A Sudden Shower And schoolgirl faces, pale and sweet. Gleam from the shawls about their heads . . 23 y^ The Lisper My! &\iQ^s, purtyy though ! — An' when She lisps, w'y, she's purty z?^;// , . . 29 . The Man in the Moon Comes back with porridge-crumbs all round his mouth. And he brushes them off with a Japanese fan . . 35 Almost Beyond Endurance I ain't a-goin' to cry no more no more ! . . 41 .. The Pixy People And round and round the ring of them Went dancing o'er the green o . . . 47 -^ Granny All's a-eatin' gingerbread And giggle-un at Granny ! , . «, 53 PICTURES— CONTINUED Lullaby And the lid of night is falling o'er the sky — Baby-bye ! . . . 59 ' The Land of Used-to-Be We will gather buds and locust-blossoms, leaves and honeysuckle To wreathe around our foreheads, riding into Used-to-Be 65 Little Orphant Annie A-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about 7^ Our Hired Girl Our hired girl, she's 'Lizabuth Ann ; An' she can cook best things to eat ! 11 What Little Saul Got for Christmas And Saul jes laid and smiled Little Mandy's Christmas Tree And my Ma she telled her we Goin' to have a Chris'mus-Tree 87 Little Johnts's Chris'mus 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 ! 91 The Bear Story An' purty soon he heerd somepin' go "Wooh!^^ — 1st thataway — ** Woo-oohr' An' he wuz sheered 105 WHILE THE HEART BEATS YOUNG THE RAGGEDY MAN OTHE RAGGEDY MAN! He works fer Pa An' he's the goodest man ever you saw! 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! 17 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' shooked 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' Griffuns, 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! i8 1 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!" An' nen he laughed at 'Lizabuth Ann, An' I says " 'I\I go' to be a Raggedy Man! — I'm ist go' to be a nice Raggedy Man!" Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man! 21 B A SUDDEN SHOWER •I' AREFOOTED boys scud up the street, i 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 rain! — - The earth lies gasping; and the eyes Behind the streaming window-pane Smile at the trouble of the skies. 22 The highway smokes; sharp echoes ring; The cattle bawl and cowbells clank; And into town comes galloping The farmer's horse, with streaming 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. ^m<^ L VT'^ CHRISTINE'S SONG UP in Tentoleena Land — Tentoleena! Tentoleena! 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. 26 up in Tentoleena Land — Tentoleena! Tentoleena! 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 — Tentoleena! 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! 27 THE LISPER ELSIE MINGUS lisps, she does! 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' / lisp, too, — she laugh' — 'at 's all! — 28 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! — My Ma say she is! One time Elsie start to say the rhyme, ^'Thing a thong o' thixpenth" — Wheel I ist yell! An' Ma say I'm Unpolite as I can be! Wunst 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 Per 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!" 31 M MAX AND JIM AX an' Jim, They're each other's Fat an' slim Little brothers. Max is thin, An' Jim, the fac's is, Fat ag'in As little Max is! Their Pa 'lowed He don't know whuther He's most proud Of one er th'other! Their Ma says They're both so sweet — 'm!- That she guess She'll haf to eat 'em! 32 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! 32 . The Man in the Moon has a crick in his back; Whee! Whimm ! 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 — My! Eyes ! 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- Whee! Whing! What a singular thing! 1 know! 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 know! Whang! Ho! Why, certainly so! — It might be a dimple turned over, you know! 34 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 his 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! SuUonesome, 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 Jitnmy-cum-jim, Dadd! Limb! I'd go pardners with him — Jes jump my job here and be pardners with himf 37 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! First they're here, an' nen they're there, An' ist a'most any an' ever'where! — 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! 38 SOME SCATTERING REMARKS OF BUB^S w UNST I tooked 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-ooh! An' blackburry-pies is goodest, too! But wite hot biscuits, ist soakin' wet Wiv tree-muUasus, is goodest yet! 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'e! 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? 39 ALMOST BEYOND ENDURANCE I AIN'T a-goin' to cry no more no more! 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 cant- 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 pleurasyF' But I ain't goin' to cry no more no m^ore! 40 An' I clumbed up an' nen failed off the fence, An' Herbert he ist laugh at me! 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 yit! But I ain't goin' to cry no more no more! Oo! 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 2i-startin^ ^g'i^^j but I wont, fer shore! — I ist aint goin' to cry no more no more! 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 away!" How it does thrill and awe me, — "The night's all gone away!" ^'Sometimes I wake, all listenin'," She sighs, ''and all's so still! — 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! — And oh, how I wish it was daylight! — And you ain't here at all! 44 ''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 you! — 'Way in the night, you know!" 45 THE PIXY PEOPLE IT was just a very Merry fairy dream! — All the woods were airy With the gloom and gleam; Crickets in the clover Clattered clear and strong, And the bees droned over Their old honey-song. In the mossy passes, Saucy grasshoppers Leapt about the grasses And the thistle-burs; And the whispered chuckle Of the katydid Shook the honeysuckle Blossoms where he hid. 46 Through the breezy mazes Of the lazy June, Drowsy with the hazes Of the dreamy noon, Little Pixy people Winged above the walk. Pouring from the steeple Of a mullein-stalk. One — a gallant fellow — Evidently King, — Wore a plume of yellow In a jewelled ring On a pansy bonnet. Gold and white and blue, With the dew still on it. And the fragrance, too. One — a dainty lady — Evidently Queen, — Wore a gown of shady Moonshine and green, With a lace of gleaming Starlight that sent All the dewdrops dreaming Everywhere she went. 49 One wore a waistcoat Of roseleaves, out and in, And one wore a faced-coat Of tiger-lily-skin; And one wore a neat coat Of palest galingale; And one a tiny street-coat, And one a swallow-tail. And Ho! sang the King of them And Hey! sang the Queen; And round and round the ring of them Went dancing o'er the green; And Hey! sang the Queen of them. And Ho! sang the King — And all that I had seen of them — Wasn't anything! It was just a very Merry fairy dream! — All the woods were airy With the gloom and gleam; Crickets in the clover Clattered clear and strong, And the bees droned over Their old honey-song! 50 AN IMPETUOUS RESOLVE WHEN little Dickie Swope's a man, He's go' to be a Sailor; An' little Harney Tincher, he's A-go' to be a Tailor: Bud Mitchell, he's a-go' to be A stylish Carriage-Maker; An' when I grow a grea'-big man, I'm go' to be a Baker! An' Dick'U buy his sailor-suit O' Hame; an' Hame'U 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 togevver, A-slingin' pie-crust 'long the road Ferever an' ferever! 51 GRANNY GRANNY'S come to our house, And ho! 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! 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! 52 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! ''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! Granny's come to our house, HoJ 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! 55 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 ifs whoopty-doopty dooden! — Whoopty-dooden then! Oh! ifs 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! And hey! to hear her laughin'! And ho! to hear her sing! — To have her back is all we lack Of havin' everything! 56 Then ifs whoopty-doopty do o den! — Whoopty-dooden then! Oh! it's whoopty-doopty dooden, When Betsy's hack again! Gh! 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 back 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! — And the lid of night is falling o'er the sky — Baby-bye! — The lid of night is falling o'er the sky! 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! — 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. 58 r 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. 6i 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 "Booh!" An' jumped up, an' skeered me too. Nen I scampered past, an' they Was somebody hollered ''Hey!" 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. 62 Nen she telled me hug wite close Round her neck! — an' off she goes Skippin' up the street! An' nen Purty soon Fm home again. An' my Ma, when she kissed me, Kissed the big girl too, an' she Kissed me — ef I p'omlse shore T won't run away no more! -^ .d&^fci THE LAND OF USED-TO-BE y4ND Where's the Land of Used-to-be, does little Zjk baby wonder? -^ -^Oh, we will clap a magic saddle over 'Top- 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. 64 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? 67 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! 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! 68 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?'' 69 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 off 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 Out! 70 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 kivvers 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 Out! 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! 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, 73 An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about! An' the Gobble-uns'U git you Ef you Don't Watch Out! An' little Orphant Annie says when the blaze is blue, An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo! 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! 74 OUR HIRED GIRL OUR hired girl, she's 'Lizabuth Ann; I An' she can cook best things to eat! 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! 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! Er I cain't git no cookin' done!" 7S 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 To th' 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 swawn! Ef my old nose don't tell me lies, It 'pears like I smell custard-pies!" 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! Er she cain't git no cookin' done!'" 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 'Xan'- O'-Gracious! who can her beau be?" 76 An' I marched in, an' 'Lizabuth Ann Wuz parchin' corn fer the Raggedy Man! Better say "Clear out o' the way! They's time fer work, an' time fer play! Take the hint, an' run, Child; run! Er we cain't git no courtin done!" L ■e X.. > ^^ ' \ «^ 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 — Afore 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! 80 .\i \ \' So little Saul has grit to take Things jes as they occur; And sister Shelton's proud o' him As he is proud o' her! 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 Fm got somepin' you all haint, — Fm got the pleurisy!" 83 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!" 84 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. 85 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 coffee 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 childern, 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. 86 Nen we corned away. . . . And nen When it's Chris'mus Eve again, And all of us childerns 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 where 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 Mandys Tree!— Little Mandy! Where is she?" Nen nobody say a word. — Stillest place you ever heard! — ■ Till a man tiptoe up where Teacher's still a-waitin' there. 89 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! Little Mandy, though, she don't Answer — and Ma say ''she won't N ever, 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" 'ull be Bigger than the other Tree! 90 www 1^ ^ U-(>' THE LAND OF THUS-AND-SO H 66 T TOW 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. 91 ^Xittle boys that never fall Down the stair, or cry at all — Doing nothing to repent, Watchful and obedient; Never hungry, nor in haste — Tidy 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-So! "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-so! "Oh! the Land of Thus- an d- So I— Isn't it delightful, though?" "Yes," lisped Willie, answering me Somewhat slow and doubtfully — "Must be awful 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' air! — 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! — W'y, wunst, one time, when we wuz there, We et out on the porch! 94 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! — 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' all! — an' we — We et out on the porch! 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 ^i;^rVhere! — An' a' old redhead flew Purt'-nigh wite over my high-chair, When we et on the porch! 95 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 had!— 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. 96 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 her!" 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! LOFC. 99 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!" — 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, lOO 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"! 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 top! 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! — Fer all the shouts o' laughture — clappin' hands, an' crackin' jokes, Was heap o' kissin' goin' on amongst the women- folks :— Fer, lo-behold-ye! there they had that young-un! — 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'! — 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 time!" rr >^^:d> 102 THE BEAR STORY THAT ALEX ''iST 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 ''WoohF' — 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-zwor^ 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 boff went ''Woohf' — 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 103 The grea'-big Bear a-climbin' th' tree to git The Little Boy an' eat him up — Oh, no! — 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 tree! 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^-\N?iy up higher in the tree Than the old Bear kin climb, you know. — But he — He cant 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-ld! 104 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 is! — 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 cant 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 so7ne way! — 107 '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 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! An' nen the Little Boy he git his gun An' 'menced a-climbin' down the tree ag'in — io8 No! — no, he didnt git his gun — 'cause when The Bear failed, nen the gun failed, too — An' broked It all to pieces, too! — An' nicest gun! — 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! — An -sir! when he 'uz purt'-nigh down, — w'y, nen The old Bear he jumped up agin! — 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 couldnt 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! — 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 ''Wooh!^' Ag'in, an' try to climb up in the tree An' git the Little Boy. — But he cant Climb t'save his soul, he can't! — An' oh! he's mad! — He ist tear up the ground! an' go ''Woo-ooh!'' 109 An' — Oh, yes! — 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! An' nen the Little Boy dumb down the tree An' chopped his old woolly head off: — Yes, an' killed The other Bear ag'in, he did — an' killed All boif the bears, he did — an' tuk 'em home An' cooked 'em, too, an' et 'em! — An' that's all. I lO 1-^ .^ ^oV ■y ^^ c ,v ^ ^0^ A ^o K ,0 V^i^^s)^- ^ ^ ^, ^. "o V" ^'''^^, t<5^ .°« "-t ^'^ '^^o^ :^^(^^ ^ov^' .^^'^c^S: '-^^^^ .^ mg, %,^ "-^^ 0^ :M ^'. >-^ ^^ o '^^^ fe°' o ^^ n •^* ( "U A^ .^^Vt,' '^ "t. .^^^ : ^^ /^ -j^ S o ^mW*" .^ v^. 0' .S^^O^. o^^ >«^. "oV^ V .^'-t. ■S-?. A . o « o -^^n^ '^oV^ °^^ V c '-^^ '" ''' ^f^ •0^ ,•'• o 1 l^^ t*' ^^ ^^ ^ <^. A .A ^> ^0^ ^°-v h ^. M- '7 , V*-^^ ^o v^ T'^ ^^^^ ■y ^ ^^^c^,'mw>^ a\^ -^^ ^ ^'^ ),o -^^.^.N^ m* <.y ^. 'oVjavs^^* a'^ -^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS