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 | The World | 
 | At Seven | 
 
 | By 
 
 Burnett 
 Steele 
 
 I Jvey 
 
 
 §j Boston = 
 
 The Stratford Co., Publishers 
 | 1920 
 
 Illl!lllllllll!lllllllli!llllllltltllllt!llllllllllllllll!lllllllllllllll!lli 
 
Copyright 1920 
 
 The STRATFORD CO., Publishers 
 
 Boston, Mass. 
 
 JUL 12 1320 
 
 The Alpine Press, Boston, Mass., U. S. A. 
 
 ©CI.A570663 
 
Dedication 
 
 THIS LITTLE BOOK IS DEDICATED TO 
 
 THE MEMOKY OF MY NAMESAKE, 
 
 BURNETT ROGERS DUNBAR. 
 
 MAY 1st, 1920. 
 
"When I was a child 
 I thought as a child." 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 Book One 
 FRIENDLY FOLKS 
 
 Contemporary 
 
 The Policeman 1 
 
 The Grocery-Man 2 
 
 The Motor-Man 2 
 
 The Candy-Man 3 
 
 The Paper-Boy 4 
 
 Our Negros 5 
 
 My Twin 5 
 
 Soldiers 6 
 
 Old Uncle July 7 
 
 Wa-Wa 8 
 
 Happy Hooligan 9 
 
 Historical 
 
 Jack the Giant-Killer 13 
 
 Cinderella 15 
 
 Hans and Gretchel 16 
 
 Robinson Crusoe 19 
 
 King Alfred 21 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Other Boys in Other Lands 
 
 Little Chinese 25 
 
 Eskimo Boys 26 
 
 Baby Indians 27 
 
 Book Two 
 THE PLEASANT LAND OF PLAY 
 
 Thinking Aloud 
 
 A Memory 33 
 
 When I Was Five 33 
 
 The Fire 34 
 
 The Trolley-Car 35 
 
 A Greater Happiness 36 
 
 Mother's Lap 36 
 
 Falling Asleep 36 
 
 The Frog Night School . . . .37 
 
 From the Hill 38 
 
 Watching the Weather 39 
 
 Sunrise and Sunset 40 
 
 By the River 41 
 
 Going to Travel 41 
 
 Candy-Pigs 42 
 
 A Penny Rich 43 
 
 In the School-Room 44 
 
 Playmates 
 
 Little Macaroni-Worms . . . .47 
 
 Gran' Daddy-Longlegs . . . .48 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 
 Birds and Cats .... 
 
 . 49 
 
 In the Park 
 
 . 50 
 
 Pretending 
 
 
 Playing William Tell . 
 
 : 55 
 
 Playing Train 
 
 . 56 
 
 Sister's Tea Party 
 
 . 57 
 
 All-Day Suckers .... 
 
 . 58 
 
 The Little House for God . 
 
 . 59 
 
 A Preference .... 
 
 . 59 
 
Book One 
 FRIENDLY FOLKS 
 
CONTEMPORARY 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 The Policeman 
 
 I like policemen, 
 
 I'll be one, too, 
 And protect people 
 
 Down here, God, like You. 
 I'll swing a big club 
 
 And wear big shoes, 
 Tho God, when I hit thieves 
 
 I'll hardly bruise. 
 
 ii 
 
 But God, what are thieves 
 
 That break thru and steal? 
 You wouldn 't have me hurt the little mice 
 
 That steal a little meal! 
 I won't wear a uniform 
 
 Like policemen do, 
 I'll just keep my part 
 
 Of the world for You ! 
 
TEE WOULD AT SEVEN 
 
 The Grocery-Man 
 
 The grocery-man's a good man, 
 
 He sends us for our table 
 All the things we need to eat 
 
 As fast as he is able. 
 He swaps for my brown pennies 
 
 That I can't even taste, 
 Sweet sticks of peppermint 
 
 With ribbons round their waist. 
 They look like little barber-poles 
 
 That turn and turn around — 
 I like to hear them crack much more 
 
 Than hear the scissors sound! 
 
 The Motor-man 
 
 I like to ride upon the car 
 
 And watch the motor-man, 
 He's always turning something 
 
 With each busy hand. 
 He has a clear eye 
 
 And doesn't talk, 
 So it is he never 
 
 Runs over us when we walk. 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 The Candy-Man 
 
 The candy-man who sells us 
 
 Little bags of taffy, 
 So my Father tells ns, 
 
 Lives in a house of taffy. 
 I wish I knew his little boy 
 
 And could go down to see him — 
 I'd eat the useless parts all up! 
 
 My! How I'd like to be him! 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 The Paper-Boy 
 
 The boy who brings the paper 
 
 When the day is half -awake, 
 Has all the pennies 
 
 He can make. 
 He gets up early 
 
 With the sun — 
 When we eat breakfast 
 
 His work is done. 
 This morning he told me 
 
 On the lawn, 
 He would soon be a man 
 
 With long pants on, 
 And go to Belgium 
 
 And fight there — 
 His parents are dead 
 
 So they won't care. 
 Perhaps they'll like it 
 
 If he's killed and dies 
 So they can have him 
 
 With them in the skies ! 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 Our Negros 
 
 Our negros are black 
 
 As the polish I use 
 When I go out to walk 
 
 On my black shoes. 
 But inside they're white 
 
 Just as I am — 
 My nursie in Heaven 
 
 Is white as God's lamb. 
 
 My Twin 
 
 My twin is a spirit 
 
 I never can see 
 Until from the window 
 
 He looks out at me — 
 But he isn't as handsome 
 
 As I want to be ! 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 Soldiers 
 
 How the soldiers march around 
 Tramping up and down the town! 
 In their grand, new uniform 
 They can any fortress storm! 
 I hope the war will wait for me 
 
 So I can grow up tall 
 And march around and down the town, 
 
 Then march away with all! 
 
THE WOULD AT SEVEN 
 
 Old Uncle July 
 
 i 
 
 There is an old black man 
 
 Comes mumbling down the street 
 Who gives us bits of taffy 
 
 From the taffy house to eat. 
 Isn't he a good man 
 
 Like all the rest, 
 For he gives us taffy 
 
 And taffy I like best! 
 
 ii 
 
 When a fun' r el comes 
 
 (What are fun' r els, say) 
 He will head the black hearse 
 
 And lead the way 
 Where the grave is open 
 
 And the people pray 
 Because someone is going down 
 
 In the earth to play 
 With the dwarfs and goblins. 
 "But he won't stay long!" 
 
 I hear the old man say, 
 So he doesn't pray long 
 
 And is the first away. 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 Wa-Wa 
 
 Wa-Wa is the woman cook. 
 Every morn for her I look. 
 Sitting on the steps I wait 
 And I'm sorry when she's late, 
 For she thinks of me and tries 
 Always to bring me some surprise. 
 Sometimes when she smiling comes 
 She gives me real cake — not the crumbs 
 From the angel-cake we had. 
 (When I'm an angel I'll be glad!) 
 I like her; the song she hums; 
 I like her taste in chewing gums! 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 Happy Hooligan 
 
 I do feel so sorry 
 
 For poor Happy Hooligan. 
 He never has any luck, 
 
 This poor man, 
 But he's a good fellow 
 
 And does his best — 
 Tho it seems the devil 
 
 Then does the rest! 
 If he takes a broom 
 
 And turns around 
 He always knocks 
 
 A police-man down! 
 And he gets up, 
 
 And he gets mad! 
 And beats poor Hooligan 
 
 Which makes me sad. 
 He wears a tin can 
 
 For his hat, 
 But he's such a good man 
 
 I never laugh at that. 
 If I ever see him 
 
 Coming up the street, 
 Wa-Wa will make him 
 
10 THE WOULD AT SEVEN 
 
 Something sweet, 
 For she likes him 
 
 As well as I — 
 The way folks treat him 
 
 Makes her cry. 
 Poor Happy Hooligan, 
 
 He does the best he can 
 So God will give him a crown of gold 
 
 For his tin can! 
 
HISTORICAL 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 13 
 
 Jack, the Giant-Killer 
 
 Jack, the Giant-Killer, 
 
 Sold a cow 
 For a hat full of beans — 
 
 He's famous now! 
 He climbed a bean-stalk 
 
 That grew from the seed 
 And got all the money 
 
 His Mother could need. 
 There, up in the blue, 
 A giant he slew, 
 And the giant's cook 
 
 Gave him a goose 
 Just like the one 
 
 That 's in our yard loose ! 
 The goose laid a golden egg 
 
 Like first prize on Easter, 
 But ours don't lay them — 
 
 At least she has ceased to. 
 
 ii 
 
 If we had a cow 
 
 I'd sell her for beans 
 
14 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 And climb up the bean-stalk 
 To wonderful scenes. 
 
 When I came down 
 I'd be famous too, 
 
 Like Jack in the story 
 And Little Boy Blue ! 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 15 
 
 Cinderella 
 
 When I was just a little fellow 
 
 Nursie used to tell 
 All about fair Cinderella: 
 
 How the glass slipper fell 
 Right in the ballroom 
 
 With a "plink!" 
 While the clock: 
 
 "Tick, tock, 
 Clank, clink !" 
 Struck twelve. 
 
 ii 
 
 I'd sit by the kitchen fire 
 
 If I were Sister, 
 And wash up the dishes till 
 
 My hands would blister. 
 Perhaps then while I sat there 
 
 From a door hid in the wall, 
 A witch would come and send me 
 
 To a Prince's ball! 
 
16 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 Hans and Gretchel 
 
 Little Hans and Gretchel 
 
 Got lost one day 
 And thru the Deep Woods 
 
 Wandered away. 
 They came to a little house 
 
 More asleep than awake, 
 That was all built of cookies 
 
 And gingerbread cake. 
 They ate up the door-knob, 
 
 And ate off the latch, 
 And tiptoed to reach 
 
 The sweet-bread thatch. 
 The old woman who lived there 
 
 Laughed at that 
 And said to herself : 
 
 "It'll make 'em fat!" 
 So she led them in gently, 
 
 And there boxed their ears, 
 And slapt them so soundly 
 
 She brought out the tears. 
 She set them to baking 
 
 The door-nob a doughnut, 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 17 
 
 And put them to making 
 
 A long lady-finger 
 
 To keep the door shut! 
 She cut a peach-switch 
 
 And she whipt them again 
 Till like peppermint candy 
 
 Their legs wore a red stain. 
 She laughed as she beat them 
 
 While they hollered with pain. 
 She took them and locked them 
 
 And fed them up fat 
 And left to watch them 
 
 Her old black cat. 
 My! They were 'fraid then! 
 
 So down on their knees 
 They prayed: "0, Father God, 
 
 Help us please!" 
 So You heard them in Heaven 
 
 As only You can, 
 And sent down to save them 
 
 The Raggedy-Man. 
 
 ii 
 
 My! He was so hungry 
 He ate up the house, 
 
 And killed the black cat 
 That ate the white mouse ! 
 
18 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 He caught the old witch, 
 
 Like this — by the nose ! 
 That Raggedy-Man 
 
 In the raggedy clothes. 
 He shook her and threw her 
 
 Deep down in the water, 
 And took back the woodman 
 
 His son and his daughter ! 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 19 
 
 Robinson Crusoe 
 
 Robinson Crusoe 
 
 Got wrecked on the sea 
 And was lost on an island 
 
 Of great mystery. 
 He found him a parrot 
 
 To talk with him there, 
 And also a goat 
 
 To walk with him there. 
 He built him a house 
 
 And a palisade, 
 And slung a hammock 
 
 There in the shade. 
 
 ii 
 
 One day on the seashore 
 
 Footprints he saw, 
 Next day he watched cannibals 
 
 Eat others half raw! 
 Then he saw running 
 
 A poor fellow to him 
 So he shot the others 
 
 Who tried to pur-sue him. 
 
20 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 He found him on Friday 
 So that is the name 
 
 By which his black servant 
 Is known to fame ! 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 21 
 
 King Alfred 
 
 Of all the kings that ever were 
 
 King Alfred was the best king : 
 One day into a cottage 
 
 He went for resting. 
 The woman there was cooking, 
 
 But she had to leave the house, 
 So she told him to watch it . . . 
 
 And, still as a mouse 
 He sat on his stool 
 
 While the cake burned to cinders 
 And the house grew cool. 
 
 When the woman came back 
 She called him a fool! 
 
 ii 
 
 She didn't know him of course 
 But that doesn't matter — 
 
 He didn't get mad 
 
 Or even think "Drat her!" 
 
 He just said, "Madam, 
 Please pardon me, 
 
22 TEE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 For I have all England 
 
 To oversee !" 
 He could have burnt her 
 
 At a red stake, 
 But he forgave her 
 
 And bought another cake! 
 
OTHER BOYS IN 
 OTHER LANDS 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 25 
 
 Little Chinese 
 
 The little Chinese 
 
 Wear long pig-tales, 
 And that's why 
 
 Our hogs don't have big tails. 
 They eat bird's nests 
 
 And rice with a small stick, 
 And yet they never 
 
 Get ever at all sick! 
 They also drink tea 
 
 And sit on the floor, 
 Which makes me like them 
 
 A little bit more. 
 Then they have gardens 
 
 With baby trees, 
 And queer little bridges 
 
 To cross when they please. 
 They live in queer houses 
 
 And sometimes eat rats, 
 Just like my Libby 
 
 And all other cats! 
 
26 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 Eskimo Boys 
 
 The Eskimo boys 
 
 Live up in the snow, 
 They sleigh and they slide 
 
 Wherever they go! 
 They build a big snowball 
 
 And a house out of ice, 
 And live there all Summer — 
 
 I think that is nice ! 
 They live with their dogs 
 
 All Winter long, 
 And hunt seal and foxes 
 
 And reindeer strong — 
 I don't think that's right! 
 
 I know it's wrong! 
 For Santa Claus needs them 
 
 When Christinas comes 'long ! 
 They have all the sherbet 
 
 And ice-cream they like, 
 'Way up in a circle 
 
 Round the Klondike. 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 27 
 
 Baby Indians 
 
 The baby Indians 
 
 Hang on a tree 
 Like little wasps-nests 
 
 In the store-room I see. 
 But often their Mothers 
 
 Pull them down 
 And take them wherever 
 
 They go around: 
 Thru the Greenwood, 
 
 By the Blue River, 
 Where Robin Hood 
 
 Lives safe forever! 
 
Book Two 
 
 THE PLEASANT LAND 
 OF PLAY 
 
THINKING ALOUD 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 33 
 
 A Memory 
 
 Once in a tub thru the snow 
 With nurse did I go 
 
 When I was three years old. 
 All I remember now 
 
 Is a man with two legs 
 I didn't know, 
 
 And nursie, the snow, and the cold. 
 
 When I Was Five 
 
 When I was as small as five 
 
 I hardly knew I was alive! 
 
 I didn't know the world was round, 
 
 When America was found, 
 
 And I really didn't know 
 
 How much larger I could grow! 
 
 Or what a birthday cake is like, 
 
 How Little Hansie saved the dike — 
 
 I couldn't even write or read, 
 
 So my Sister has agreed 
 
 I was very small indeed ! 
 
34 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 The Fire 
 
 Once I saw a fire — 
 
 Three houses burning down — 
 They made a bonfire 
 
 On the top of the town. 
 My ! It was fun ! It was just like Hell 
 Burning the bad world up — and it burnt well ! 
 
 But soon I grew sorry 
 For two little boys 
 
 Cried for their Mother, 
 And cried for their toys. 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 35 
 
 The Trolley-Car 
 
 I like to ride a trolley-car 
 
 To the park or town, 
 I think that is the best way 
 
 Always to go down. 
 I like to watch it follow 
 
 Along the track. 
 It goes a long ways 
 
 But always comes back. 
 So I like to ride it 
 
 To the town or park — 
 But one night it stopt 
 
 And we walked home in the dark ! 
 
36 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 A Greater Happiness 
 
 I'm just happy I'm alive! 
 Cake and candy make me thrive! 
 If I were a bee I 'd be happier still 
 In a honey-bee hive eating my fill ! 
 
 Mother's Lap 
 
 I wonder if the Vale of Avalon 
 In whose lap King Arthur lies, 
 
 Is half as cozy as my Mother's is 
 When the day dies? 
 
 Falling Asleep 
 
 Jack-Be-Nimble, Jack-Be-Quick, 
 Jack-Jump-Over-The-Candle-Stick ! " 
 Across both of my eyes they fly 
 Till in my bed asleep I lie. 
 
 t i 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 37 
 
 The Frog Night-School 
 
 Little frogs sit on toad-stools 
 
 And they all go to night-schools 
 
 Where they sit around in rings 
 
 While the head musician sings: 
 
 * ' Groonc, groonc — car-roonc ! 
 
 Groonc, groonc — car-roonc ! ' ' 
 
 And they follow as best they can 
 
 This sore-throated musician. 
 
 I can hear them from my bed; 
 
 I shall hear them when I'm dead: 
 
 In God's House 
 
 "Squeak" '11 say mouse; 
 
 But "Groonc, groonc — car-roonc! 
 
 Groonc, groonc — car-roonc ! ' ' 
 
 — I shall hear in Heaven, too, 
 
 The dear old frog voices that I knew! 
 
38 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 From the Hill 
 
 I live on a hill 
 
 At the top of the town 
 And see all the houses 
 
 When I look down. 
 Thru mist in the morning 
 
 How lovely it looks! 
 Just like a city 
 
 In picture-books! 
 But late in the evening 
 
 It's lovelier still 
 When the stars shine over 
 
 Our home on the hill, 
 For down by the river 
 
 After the day, 
 Small ones will twinkle 
 
 Just like on a bay. 
 The lamps God lights 
 
 Up in the blue 
 Are lovely — but so are 
 
 The city's too! 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 Watching the Weather 
 
 When I'm as big as Father is 
 
 And carry a long cane, 
 I '11 be like him and never need 
 
 To watch a weather-vane. 
 I'll sit upon the back-porch 
 
 In the afternoon 
 And see the smoke go waving 
 
 Like a plume. 
 If to the west — 
 
 My cane will stay; 
 If to the east — 
 
 It'll tap away! 
 
40 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 Sunrise and Sunset 
 
 I like to get up early 
 
 With the early sun 
 And watch him paint 
 
 All the lovely sky 
 Till from rose its colors run 
 
 To the blue of Mother's eye. 
 But sometimes it's red 
 
 Like blood when you bleed, 
 (So Sister has said, 
 
 And with her I've agreed). 
 But I don't see him much 
 
 When he goes to bed 
 For I am such 
 
 A sleepy head! 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 41 
 
 By the River 
 
 Down on the blue river 
 
 Where the boats go by 
 While faster the clouds race 
 
 In the blue sky, 
 There folks are fishing 
 
 But never catch whales 
 With Jonahs inside them 
 
 Or ships and their sails. 
 Should they catch them 
 
 They couldn't creep there, 
 For the whales would think them Jonahs 
 
 And their poor Mothers weep there. 
 
 Going to Travel 
 
 I'm going to travel 
 
 On the train; 
 Father's built an air castle 
 
 Off in Spain. 
 Mother says it may be 
 
 Just a cottage after all, 
 So I shall like it 
 
 With roses on the wall! 
 
42 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 Candy-Pigs 
 
 I love all-day suckers 
 
 And a fat candy-pig — 
 Not the little or the large ones, 
 
 But the sweet ones — not-so-big. 
 Five I'll buy tomorrow 
 
 Down on the corner, 
 But I won't be like some boys 
 
 A little Jack Horner! 
 Father shall have one, 
 
 Sister another, 
 Mother doesn't like them 
 
 Just before we dine, 
 And God says: "Eat the other, 
 
 And hers and mine." 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 43 
 
 A Penny Rich 
 
 Yesterday, or maybe 
 
 The day before, 
 I went to buy something 
 
 At the store. 
 I had a brown penny, 
 
 But when I got there 
 I decided I'd wait 
 
 And go to the Fair. 
 When it is open 
 
 I'll go to a show, 
 And on a fly in '-jinny 
 
 Around I'll go. 
 When I get off 
 
 My head will spin 
 Just like my tops 
 
 The big boys win ! 
 
44 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 In the School-Room 
 
 Our school-room 
 
 Is so alive 
 It always sounds 
 
 Like a honey-bee hive! 
 But I don't like it 
 
 Except at recess 
 When I have to stay in 
 
 With little Bess. 
 She gives me candy, 
 
 I give her — Well, 
 I don't reckon 
 
 I'll tell. 
 
PLAYMATES 
 
TEE WORLD AT SEVEN 47 
 
 Little Macaroni-Worms 
 
 Little Macaroni-worms! 
 
 How each squiggles round and squirms ! 
 
 Looking thru the window-pane 
 
 I can see them after rain 
 
 On the walk and in the yard 
 
 After it's been raining hard. 
 
 II 
 
 Cheese-and-macaroni we 
 On our table like to see, 
 But when hungry robins eat 
 Little worms are just as sweet! 
 
48 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 Gran'-Daddy-Longlegs 
 
 I like little bugs 
 
 That roll up in a ball, 
 But spiders with long legs 
 
 Best of all! 
 ' ' Gran '-daddy, Gran '-daddy. 
 
 Your legs are so long! 
 You have so many 
 
 That none are strong!" 
 Gran '-daddy listens 
 
 Without a word 
 Just like he hasn't 
 
 Even heard! 
 But he is deaf now 
 
 As Gran '-daddy's are — 
 He likes small insects 
 
 And hates resin and tar ! 
 
THE WOULD AT SEVEN 49 
 
 Birds and Cats 
 
 Once Mother had a feathered hat 
 
 That Father liked and bought for her, 
 And once there was a mocking-bird 
 
 From the woods he brought for her. 
 But the bird that was upon the hat 
 
 Would never sing, 
 And she sent the other one 
 
 To Heaven fluttering. 
 
 ii 
 
 And once we had a golden bird 
 
 In a golden cage 
 Till the big old pussy-cat 
 
 Ate it in a rage. 
 But I do like Libby, 
 
 My own cat, 
 Except — when only — sometimes 
 
 She kills a little rat. 
 Now I must feed her milk 
 
 And animal-crackers, too. 
 I wonder — if I had them — 
 
 Would the cracker-mice do? 
 
50 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 In the Park 
 
 I go to the park 
 
 Each afternoon 
 That Father comes home 
 
 And gets ready soon. 
 He goes tapping a cane, 
 
 I go rolling a hoop. 
 One day it ran into 
 
 A queer chicken-coop. 
 The chickens had parrot bills 
 
 And claws like a cat, 
 But when I called Father 
 
 He just laughed at that. 
 He said they were small hawks, 
 
 Not chickens at all! 
 Tho they had feathers like them 
 
 They gave a queer call, 
 And fluttered so angry — 
 
 As once in the church, 
 My head almost backwards 
 
 (From Father I've heard) 
 
 Just like a sleep bird 
 
 Fell off of its perch! 
 
THE WOULD AT SEVEN 51 
 
 II 
 
 Then there were big white dogs 
 
 That bathed in a pool, 
 And funny, queer water-ones 
 
 That climbed on a stool 
 And caught — it was funny — 
 
 The fish a man threw 
 Just like a monkey 
 
 Catches pennies from you! 
 I never grow tired 
 
 Of watching them play, 
 But Father turns homeward 
 
 And we wait another day. 
 
PRETENDING 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 55 
 
 Playing William Tell 
 
 Once I played William Tell, 
 
 I mean — his little boy — 
 And Sister took a bow-and-arrow 
 
 (It was just a little toy) 
 And put an apple on my head, 
 
 And stood so close she couldn't miss me, 
 So close — why even then she said 
 
 That she could almost kiss me! 
 She drew the bow-string back as far 
 
 As ever that she could — 
 For I was just a little boy, 
 
 She, William Tell and Robin Hood — 
 But when she let it go it didn't 
 
 Hit where you'd expect — 
 She didn't touch the apple, but 
 
 She nearly broke my neck! 
 When Father came back home that night 
 
 And heard about our game, 
 He said she hit my Adam's Apple 
 
 Which surely was a shame! 
 Now Sister says she didn't miss, 
 
 But only changed her aim — 
 So she ate the other one 
 
 As her part of the game ! 
 
56 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 Playing Train 
 
 We played train with chairs 
 Two by two — in pairs — 
 I had the sleeping-car 
 
 And Sister the diner, 
 So we all started 
 
 Away to China. 
 But China broke up 
 
 Before we got there, 
 And the train had a wreck 
 
 When I fell out of my chair ! 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 57 
 
 Sister's Tea-Party 
 
 Sister isn't so bad 
 
 Always to me, 
 Sometimes she has me 
 
 With her doll to tea. 
 But her doll is selfish 
 
 And eats nearly all 
 Except the crumbles 
 
 I catch as they fall. 
 It isn't the doll's fault — 
 
 It's no sin to her — 
 For really not a cracker 
 
 Goes into her! 
 
58 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 
 
 All-Day Suckers 
 
 When I was a baby 
 
 And not a little man, 
 I had five all-day suckers 
 
 On each hand! 
 They were so good, 
 
 (So Mother said) 
 I always took them 
 
 With me to bed! 
 When I didn't want them 
 
 I shut them in my hand 
 Just like in a candy-bag — 
 
 Wasn't that grand! 
 The fingers were'nt so good 
 
 To my appetite, 
 But the thumbs were so good 
 
 I suckt them all night ! 
 
THE WORLD AT SEVEN 59 
 
 The Little House for God 
 
 I built a little House for God 
 
 Like that one in the story, 
 Tho mine of blocks was much too small 
 
 To hold in His glory. 
 But Sister only laughed and said, 
 
 "You're funny, Little Brother — " 
 So she kicked it down, but God, 
 
 I'll build You up another! 
 
 A Preference 
 
 ' i Swing low, Sweet Chariot ! ' ' 
 
 So Mother sings, 
 But I'd rather go flying 
 
 To Heaven on wings! 
 
mn!"iB2ft?.LS F CONGRESS 
 
 Illfliillll 
 
 016 235 157 6 *