MANCHESTER 
 
LITTLE VISITS 
 
/ LITTLE VISITS 
 
 Raymond E. Manchester 
 
 AUTHOR OF 
 THE TRAIL OF THE INDOOR OUTER 
 
 / 
 
 PRESS OF 
 
 F. W. ORTH COMPANY 
 
 CUYAHOGA FALLS. O. 
 
** 
 
 
 Copyright 1917, 1918, 1921 
 
 By 
 R. E. MANCHESTER %/ 
 
 / 
 FEB 18 1922 
 
 ©CLA654709 ^— 
 
 *\A-\> *y 
 

 5 
 
 To 
 
 Mary Jane and Betty 
 
 and 
 
 Grandpa Kennedy 
 
Little Visits 
 
 FOREWORD 
 
 I stand on the hill at evening,- 
 A little girl at my side. 
 We look down the darkening valley, 
 Where the painted cloud-ships ride. 
 
 I see a fair sky tomorrow, 
 
 With a day's work bought and sold; 
 
 She sees the land of fairies, 
 
 Where the cloud is edged with gold. 
 
 We stand there, each with a vision, 
 Her hand* clasped tightly in mine. 
 The sun-set is what we see in it, 
 And such is God's design. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 QUESTION 
 
 Have you yet lived on some short street, 
 Where walks re-echo running feet; 
 Where pavement holds a game of ball 
 And walls send back a boy's shrill call? 
 
 Have you yet lived on this highway, 
 Where life is young with happy play 
 And hoped you might, by tonguie or pen, 
 Preach childhood's creed to other men? 
 
Little Visits 
 
 MAKE-BELIEVE 
 
 Today we played at make-believe 
 And grandpa was the baby. 
 
 Mother was the little girl, 
 And I, a great big Jady. 
 
 We had a lunch of ginger-bread 
 
 And poured our "pretend" tea. 
 
 I passed the plate to mother, 
 
 Then she passed it back to me. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 MY BEAN 
 
 I hoed and raked the garden clean, 
 Then covered up my Lima Bean, 
 I prayed and soon the sun-light came, 
 And, in a. day or two, some rain, 
 Then after ages, it would seem, 
 I saw a little bit of green; 
 But that one bean must be a clown, 
 For he came up, just upside down. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 MISTER ANGLEWORM 
 
 After rain comes on the lawn 
 And a!l the thunder clouds are gone, 
 The dirt lifts up beneath the fern, 
 And out comes Mister Angleworm. 
 
 He humps his back, then lengthens out, 
 And pokes his pointed nose about; 
 He loves to roll, and stretch, and squirm, 
 This lazy Mister Angleworm. 
 
 Then Mrs. Robin hops along, 
 For she knows where good worms belong. 
 She gives her head a saucy turn, 
 And, down goes Mister Angleworm. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 MARY'S PRAYER 
 
 Mary went to early church 
 On a Winter's day 
 Put her penny in the box 
 And held her hands to pray. 
 
 "God Bless Grandpa, God bless Dad, 
 "God bless all the sick. 
 "God bless all the suffering souls 
 "In Arithmetic." 
 
Little Visits 
 
 ROBIN RED-BREAST 
 
 Little Robin Redbreast 
 
 Hopping along; 
 Looking for worms 
 
 Upon the green lawn. 
 Hop along, listen! 
 
 Hop along, stop! 
 Pull out a long one, 
 
 Then, 
 Hop along, hop. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 MORNING 
 
 When the 'larm clock starts a-ringing 
 Daddy covers up his head; 
 But the birds all start a- singing 
 And the sun jumps out of bed. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 MY BROTHER 
 
 The doctor came today at four, 
 And hurried in at our front door. 
 'Most every other person knocks, 
 But he just walked in with his box. 
 I had to go with Fritz to play, 
 And nurse told me to stay away, 
 But I ran home to see my mother, 
 And there beside her was a brother. 
 He had the cutest little toes 
 And little wrinkles on his nose, 
 But had an awful reddy face 
 From being in the doctor's case. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE LITTLE GRAY ELF 
 
 A little gray Elf went out For his health 
 
 In a beautiful pea-pod boat; 
 And wore, for a hat, the ear of a rat 
 
 And a June-Bug's wing for a coat. 
 
 He had dined on snails and humming-bird's tails 
 
 And soon was deep in a dream, 
 As he slept in the breeze from the cucumber 
 trees. 
 
 On a sky-blue pink sun-beam. 
 
 But a black cloud came with a pail full of rain, 
 Just when our tale should begin 
 And down went the boat and the June-Bug 
 
 coat 
 When a wet rain-drop fell in. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 BED TIME 
 
 My daddy reads me stories, 
 Of what the fairies said. 
 I climb in his lap 
 For a short little nap, 
 And wake up tucked in bed. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 MY SURPRISE 
 
 When it was Sand Man time last night, 
 And mother had me tucked in tight. 
 She said, "Now if you shut your eyes, 
 "I think you'll find a big surprise/' 
 
 So when awake I looked to see 
 What mother's big surprise could be- 
 And sure enough, as she had said, 
 I found some Measles in my bed. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 BABY'S SECRET 
 
 Little Miss Sober-Sides, 
 Looking so wise: 
 What are you seeing 
 With your big eyes? 
 
 What are you thinking of? 
 Why do you stare? 
 Tell us your secret, 
 Baby, so fair. 
 
 Tell us, dear baby, 
 As you sit on your cot, 
 The sweet things you know 
 That mother does not. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE HIRED MAN 
 
 The hired man is awful thin, 
 And I wish you could see, 
 The elevator m his neck, 
 Go up and down with tea. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 MY KITE 
 
 Isn't it fun to run with a kite, 
 Feeling the wind make it sail: 
 
 Then to watch it nodding at you 
 And wagging its funny tail? 
 
 Isn't it fun to give it a jerk 
 And watch it dive about: 
 
 Isn't it fun to wind it in 
 And then let more string out? 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE PREACHER 
 
 Today the preacher talked an hour 
 About our moral will; 
 His lower jaw went up and down; 
 His upper one staid still. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 MUD PIES 
 
 Have you ever made pies of sand and mud 
 Until mother told you to stop? 
 
 Then put them out on a stick 
 In the sun 
 
 Till the sand was dry on top? 
 
 If you haven't made pies by the 
 
 Back-line fence, 
 And baked them in the sun; 
 
 You had better start this very day 
 And see if it isn't fun. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 MY PLATE 
 
 There's a bird with yellow feathers 
 Painted on my dinner plate: 
 And I wonder if it wanted 
 All the good things that I ate. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 A SECRET 
 
 Do you know why the grasshopper has big 
 legs 
 
 And hops where he wants to go? 
 Do you know that he chews tobacco, too? 
 
 I do, for he told me so. 
 
 Do you know why his legs come off like a 
 doll's 
 
 When the ends are not sewed well? 
 I do, but I'm not saying a word, 
 
 For he asked me not to tell. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 GOING TO BED 
 
 When I am washed and prayers are said 
 And Mother says, "Now go to bed," 
 I always think of quite a few 
 More pleasant things I'd like to do. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE WREN 
 
 A wren sat 
 
 On a clothesline post, 
 And said, "I think 
 
 "What I'd like most 
 "Is just a house 
 
 "With a door so small 
 "No jay could stop 
 
 "To make a call." 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE ZOOLOGIC MAN 
 
 Here's a little rooster, there's a little hen; 
 Over on the post-top sits a little wren; 
 
 Here's a bunny rabbit, there's a yellow cat; 
 I'm a zoologic man and wear a leather hat. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 COASTING 
 
 I tell you, there's a hill I know, 
 
 And you should see the way we go. 
 The pusher-off just takes a run, 
 
 And then a-scooting down we come. 
 The snow comes, zip, into our faces, 
 
 And almost takes us from our places. 
 If I grow big enough to steer, 
 
 I'll surely have some fun next year. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 WEATHER 
 
 I've seen it rain on pleasant days; 
 
 I've seen it snow in June; 
 
 I've seen it rain down hail-stones, too, 
 
 And swept them with a broom. 
 
 Now when I tell my Daddy so, 
 
 He says, "You're full of talk;" 
 
 But yesterday it rained some worms, 
 
 All over our front walk. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 A CATERPILLAR 
 
 A caterpillar crawled 
 
 Upon my bed, 
 And when he came 
 
 I hid my head. 
 He may not do 
 A mite of harm: 
 He may be friendly 
 
 On the farm; 
 He may be fine, 
 
 But I don't care 
 For any fnend 
 
 With so much hair. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE CELLAR MAN 
 
 There's a man who cleans our cellar 
 Who calls parasol umbreiler: 
 If I cry he says, "Don't beller, 
 "Be a good brave little feller." 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE BLISS OF A KISS 
 
 Just think of the bliss, 
 
 That comes of a kiss, 
 From a dear little Miss, 
 About four. 
 
 And make it your plan 
 To find, if you can, 
 A happier man 
 
 At the door, 
 
 Than the one who gets this 
 
 Most heavenly kiss, 
 From a dear little Miss 
 About four. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 A BOY'S CHRISTMAS WISHES 
 
 I pray for good weather to Heaven above, 
 And wish for my Mother, ten barrels of love, 
 I wish for my Daddy a dozen big piles, 
 Of pleasant, "Good-Mornings," and sweet happy 
 
 smiles, 
 I ask for my sister, a million good wishes 
 And want for myself, a pair of new britches. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 APRIL EVENING 
 
 A robin sings in the garden. 
 
 The sun is big and red. 
 My mother sings 
 Of birds and things, 
 
 And I go to sleep in my bed. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 FERG and WIFE 
 
 At six feet four, Ferg ceased to grow; 
 His wife is four feet, six or so; 
 But logic fails sometimes at that 
 For both their hearts are amply fat, 
 And so it was, one pleasant day, 
 A little girl came there to stay. 
 The neighbors, near, all had a fit, 
 And that's the long and short of it. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 IN WINTER 
 
 I think it fun in Winter 
 
 When it snows and blows outside, 
 For then my daddy plays at horse 
 
 And takes me for a ride. 
 
 My mother cuts out dollies 
 And makes them paper clothes; 
 
 My grandpa builds me castles 
 Out of blocks and dominoes. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE MAGIC MAN 
 
 Today I saw a magic man 
 
 Take rabbits from a hat, 
 
 And take a quarter from his nose 
 
 And all such things as that. 
 
 But our old hen can do as well; 
 
 She knows some magic, too; 
 
 She does one trick I'd like to see 
 
 That man of magic do. 
 
 She climbs into her nest of straw, 
 
 And sits down on her leg; 
 
 Then winks and says "Cluck adle oo" 
 
 And there's a shiney egg. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 MY GRANDPA 
 
 I have a gray-haired Grandpa 
 
 Who wears whiskers on his chin, 
 
 And there's no one in the world I like 
 As well as I like him. 
 
 He wakes me in the morning 
 With a "Hello, Snoop-en-dyke," 
 
 And puts his head in at the door 
 To ask me who I like. 
 
 He helps me button on my shoes 
 With mother's buttonhook, 
 
 Then fastens up my corset 
 While I read my bunny book. 
 
 Sometimes he brings me candy 
 
 Or chewing gum to chew 
 And when it is my birthday 
 
 He brings me toys, too. 
 
 He always mends my dollies 
 And he never does play rough; 
 
 So I think that I will marry him 
 When I grow big enough. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE ROAD 
 
 The road, so wide and full of men, 
 
 Goes on without an end; 
 
 As far as I can look or see 
 
 There isn't any bend. 
 
 Some day when I am big enough 
 
 When I am nine or ten, 
 
 I'll walk upon it round the world 
 
 And come right back again. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 LITTLE SISTER 
 
 Come, little sister, 
 Do not cry: 
 Daddy must work 
 For you and I. 
 Do not pout, 
 Or fret, or fuss: 
 He will soon 
 Come back to us. 
 He likes us best 
 When we behave, 
 So, little sister, 
 Just be brave. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 WHEN I AM BIG 
 
 When I am big I'll go to work 
 And have a dinner pail. 
 And when the auto doesn't start, 
 I'll say, "Just twist ; er tail." 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE CIRCUS PARADE 
 
 A big toot-toot, 
 
 And a funny down; 
 
 A lady in 
 
 A gorgeous gown; 
 
 A six-horse team 
 
 On a wild-west stage; 
 
 A man in tights 
 
 In a lion's cage; 
 
 The negro minstrels 
 
 Sing a song, 
 
 And then the camel 
 
 Comes along. 
 
 Last of all, 
 
 The farmer's band; 
 
 Then we go 
 
 To the peanut stand. 
 
 I buy some 
 
 Yellow lemonade, 
 
 And that is the last 
 
 Of the circus-parade. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE BUTCHER 
 
 The butcher has a warty nose, 
 And says, "Now don't you fret; 
 "You'll grow to be a working-man, 
 "Before your Mother, yet." 
 
Little Visits 
 
 RAINY DAYS 
 
 On rainy days I play inside. 
 
 And get out my gray horse to ride. 
 
 T fill up by big saddle sack. 
 
 And take a ride to town and back. 
 
 I like a rainy day or two, 
 
 For then my toys all seem like new; 
 
 And no one asks me, "What's the matter?" 
 
 If I do make quite a clatter. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE MASTER HEALER 
 
 Doctors, healers, medicine-men: 
 Seers from Zanazee; 
 All the balms from root and stem, 
 Or juice from camphour tree! 
 
 None has yet the potent drug 
 
 To bring that perfect bliss, 
 
 That comes from Mother's gentle hug 
 
 And Mother's healing kiss. 
 
Little Visits 
 
 THE WIND 
 
 There's one thing I can't figure out, 
 When all the leaves are blown about; 
 And that is where the wind is from, 
 For I can't see it go and come. 
 It helps the birds u£on their way 
 And moves the ships upon the bay: 
 It puts a kiss upon my cheek, 
 And makes the waves upon the creek 
 I hope some day to understand 
 Why wind blows over sea and land. 
 

 3 
 
 J9 2f 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 
 S 015 929 353 1