PS 3523 .E313 R6 1901 u y y y y u y ' y y y y \j u y v^ V^K- Sw-V*] /7#^ &*t>k *>>^;v fc*£3 fe *• ./ SS\ns •*:**£.;•:•:; JW ^^^ tt^vft-.^ Sv/*'~v: ess* : «*.•?: i*ws 3a '>v- ^"£££1 (.»«.%»f •♦• «• K:w^-*?vV i*Xi •£»•& :^^l && £W ^ra&££^:&*'&3g •.""W?.'- 1 ' &*&(: mz& •ii! W*g&fc toEW 3$Nf: £&3 &>&£ mmm &*?& "t'MWJ ft* tfWiSi «$$»& 'vM' ■•>:•:• v?** ft-* C\\»$< tt&A; «?<.«•&••' THE ROUND RABBIT AND OTHER CHILD VERSE BY / AGNES LEE BOSTON SMALL, MAYNARD # COMPANY 1901 Copyright, 1S98, by COPELAND & DAY Copyright, 1901, by SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY . ( Incorporated ) Entered at Stationers' Sail THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, Two Cohim Received OCT. 25 1901 COPVRWHT ENTRY CLASS & XXc. No. / 2 The Round Rabbit THE LITTLE ROUND SQUARE O BSTINATE Olga could never take rest : For alway she wandered upon her quest Over the world from east to west. The little birds ever did sing and sing : " Obstinate Olga, there 's no such thing ! " But she bade them all be off and a- wing. 'a' " I '11 find it," she whispered, " by dark or by light. I dream it all day and I dream it all night — Such a wonderful shape, such a wonderful sight ! " The little leaves gossiped together at play. A little brook chuckled and ran away. " That foolish creature ! " they seemed to say. Obstinate Olga shook her sweet hair : " Now hush ye ! some summer, some time, some- where, I surely shall find me a little round square." 43 The Round Rabbit EACH AUGUST DAY EACH August day I leave my play, And comrades blithe and many, To keep all green The patch between The pine-tree and the jenny. While people pass, I mow the grass, Nor heed them in their wending. I must not gaze ; For father pays A penny for my tending. I play the hose, Whose water flows And bathes the lawn in rivers (Or, now and then A sleepy hen ! Oh, how she runs, and shivers!), 44 The Round Rabbit Nor let it catch The drying batch Of clothes upon the jenny. When work is done, I have my fun, And spend my father's penny. 45 The Round Rabbit THE CAT AND THE BABY I T 'S in that bundle on the bed, The new arrival, Downyhead. To-day at dawn I stole aloft, And there it lay, so warm, so soft ! And I made bold, at what I saw, To touch it gently with my paw. They sent me off disgraced, forlorn, The saddest pussy ever born. About the dwelling to and fro The busy footsteps come and go. I hear glad voices all about, There seems some joke ; and I'm left out ; For no one heeds my sorry lot — Forlorn, forsaken, and forgot. And, what seems harder still to bear : My plate stands empty by the stair. 46 The Round Rabbit THE HOSPITAL CHILD WHEN gentle sunset floods the sky, And just before the gloam, They take me to the window high, To see the hills of home. I look beyond the city street, Above the grimy roofs, Far from the pavement's noise and heat. Far from the clanging hoofs. And eagerly my eyes discern The hills remote and green, And then I stretch my arms, and yearn O'er vales that intervene. One hill, more green and high than all, I love to look upon. There stands a house, and voices call A weary little one. 47 The Round Rabbit There by the lamp my mother sits ; My father reads his book ; My little sister plays or knits ; My dog is in his nook. Amid the oaks, with pleasant eaves The house stands, white, secure. Its form is hidden by the leaves ; Yet it is there, I 'm sure ! Some day this door shall open wide, And forth my feet shall go, To find the house the branches hide, That well my heart shall know. To find the dwelling marvellous My dreams have made so fair — For though I cannot see the house, I know the house is there ! 48 The Round Rabbit THE TODDLER OOK up the street, look down the street, From out the flowering moss. L If naught you meet, my toddler sweet, Then may you go across. Look up the street, look down the street, Before you leave the gate. If horse's feet the cobbles beat, Stand very still, and wait ! 49 The Round Rabbit VANISHED JUNE OH ! have you seen fair June, fair June? And whither is she straying? And is she trysting with the moon ? Or with a star-child playing? The sunshine loved her, and the breeze, The little breeze that kissed her. And we who loved her on the leas Scarce loved her, ere we missed her. We felt her try to slip away, And stretched our hands to hold her. Yet well we knew she could not stay, If Heaven would enfold her. So sweet and happy was her mood, So gentle was her laughter, So silent stole she from our wood, And drew her daisies after ! 50 The Round Rabbit VANISHED JUNE The Round Rabbit TIRED I AM as tired as I can be. I am too tired to take my tea. I '11 go to bed with never a bite, And rest me well till broad daylight, And promise like a wise one then : — " I '11 never get so tired again ! " 52 The Round Rabbit THE STROLL-AWAY SUNBEAM A SUNBEAM blithe, in the early day Left its father and strolled away To find the dark. But all in vain! It nestled at bedtime back again. Drooping and tired and tearful, it cried : " Father, I 've hunted far and wide; On earth lay many a gloomy spot. Whenever I reached it, lo ! 't was not. " Oh, I have hunted everywhere! By meadows sweet ; by waters fair : I asked the breeze ; I hailed the lark ; But, father, I could not find the dark." And the father kissed his child, and said : " Of course you could n't, young sleepy-head ! Why, don't you know? — why, everyone knows — There is no dark where a sunbeam goes ! " 53 The Round Rabbit MISTRESS CONTRARIA BROWN HEARD ye of Mistress Contraria Brown? Whenshe was up 't was " Oh, to be down ! " When she was down 't was " Oh, to be up ! " Give her a kitten, she 'd sigh for a pup. Countryman Brown, thus plagued of his life, Determined on curing his contrary wife : He moved her to Boston, where stockings are blue, And made her read Sanscrit each morning at two. He fed her on beans, and he sent her, for play, Up Bunker Hill Monument twelve times a day, Without any pity, without any pause, Till she was contented to be where she was. 54 The Round Rabbit TO A LITTLE CALENDAR DEAR little friend that faced me here All through the mystery of a year, Measuring me the days that came, Naming me many a pleasant name, New bells shall ring, new heralds shout. There 's left thee but to wander out. Dear little friend ! thy form was sweet, As onward trod thy trackless feet. Thou knowest, I was glad alway To have thee point a darling day. But in the west the shadows grow. Good-night ! there 's left thee but to go. It is the Olden Year's command. He comes to take thee by the hand ; For yonder gleams an evenstar. It 's bedtime, little calendar ! 55 The Round Rabbit A MISTY DAY WALKING through the misty leas, Every shade 's a steeple. All the people pass for trees, All the stumps are people. Rubies flash a sudden light : Berries 'mid the bracken. All the brooks are paven white With the clouds that slacken. Drenching are the flowers and wan, By the quiet river. Birches with their nightgowns on Stand around and shiver. Children, on a misty day, Breathe a wonder olden, And they love the noon in gray, Till it change to golden. 56 The Round Rabbit LITTLE ROUND DAISY LITTLE round daisy alone in the field, Where are your little round sisters, I pray? Cold blows the wind, and you 've never a shield, Little round daisy, to keep it away. " They are asleep for a little round year," Sighed a sweet breath. And the shadow birds flew, Till, with earth's drowsing, this little round dear Drooped low its head, and was slumbering, too. 51 The Round Rabbit A CHILD'S GRIEF THE birdling on the tree May ope an eye to see. The kitten, too, may blink, The baby frog may wink, To see the wondrous light That shines so round and bright, That only wastes its joys On little girls and boys, Who may not see the moon — They go to bed so soon ! 58 The Round Rabbit THE SLEIG H-B OAT N summer, when the stream was high, We sailed, my little friend and I, I Within a wonder-boat of blue, Past golden banks where poppies grew, And past the towns, while, looking deep Adown the dim and watery steep, We watched the tottering houses gleam And spill their chimneys in the stream. But when at last the days were chill, And frozen hard were stream and hill, Our boat lay far from sight or sound, In darkness, idle, attic-bound. Yet sunbeams danced, forever warm, And charmed us with the same old charm ; Till out we brought our Bonny Blue, And decked and painted her anew. 59 The Round Rabbit We fitted her with runners gay, And called our little boat a sleigh. And now, when streams have ceased to flow, We sail upon a sea of snow. 60 The Round Rabbit A SONG OF THE PINE HIGH gale, loud gale ! The pine-tree sings to the clouds that sail " Hither the moon, gowned in white, Into my arms shall leap to-night." Swing far, swing wild ! The pine-tree sings to the waking child : " Sleep soft, sleep soon. Oh, but it 's sweet to rock the moon ! " 61 The Round Rabbit THE LITTLE ROUND THOUGHT WHAT are you thinking, little round cat, Sitting quite still, as you ought? " Oh, sitting all day on my little round mat, I am thinking a little round thought ! " What little round thought are you blinking at, Blinking all day in the house? " Oh, the sweetest thought to a little round cat — The thought of a little round mouse ! " 62 The Round Rabbit THE PLAY WATCH I HAVE a play watch, I have a play watch, Deep down in my little pocket. I love it as Jim loves butterscotch, Or Polly Prang her locket. For with never a tic, and never a tac, And never a skip aheadtime, It *s never too quick, and it 's never too slack, And it never mentions bedtime. 63 The Round Rabbit MAYS VALENTINE IT'S up we '11 get!" Cried Nurse Jeannette, " To feel the sun a- warming. St. Valentine Will feast and dine, And bring you something charming." Then dressed they fast In ruffles vast This best of little creatures. But at the pane She watched in vain, And ah, the sorry features ! His laughter done, The sober sun Behind a cloud went straying. A heavy snow Began to blow ; The boys ran in from playing. 64 The Round Rabbit " T will be here yet," Said Nurse Jeannette, " Perhaps at noon, my deary." The postman passed, In snow and blast, And May's blue eyes were teary. "It's dark and wet," Said Nurse Jeannette, " St. Valentine is groping, So May, my dear, Wipe off that tear, And don't you give up hoping ! " When twilight came, The little dame Still peeped from out the curtain. The sleet came pelt ! She was, she felt, Forgotten now, for certain. But candleshine Brought Valentine — T~ 65 The Round Rabbit A valentine so rosy ! Nor dreamed the miss 'T would look like this, Surpassing song or posy. She jumped for joy : A baby boy Lay blinking up to greet her. A brother ! May, You darling, say What valentine were sweeter? 66 The Round Rabbit WATCHING FOR SLEEP ^ m ^% IS every night I watch for sleep, ■ Midst weary thought of books and sums, ^^ And open wide my mind I keep, To try to catch him when he comes. But Sleep's a fellow very sly! I always miss him, in some way ; For as at night I watching lie, The very next I know, it 's day ! 67 The Round Rabbit OLD SONG WHEN I was a- walking, one day, one day, I met a small laddie, a-crying away. "Small lad, and what's the matter?" quoth I ; " Why do you cry, and cry, and cry? " " Alack ! " he sobbed, "I 've lost a penny, And now, alas ! I haven't any ! " " Then dry your eyes," quoth I, " nor trouble, Here are two pennies — I make it double. " The small lad smiled with pleasure plain, But soon began to cry again. " What, what ! " said I, " and still a-sighing? Now what 's the matter, with all your crying ? " "Alack, alas ! " quoth he, quoth he, " If I had n't lost one, I 'd now have three ! " 68 The Round Rabbit OLD SONG The Round Rabbit THE HASSOCK THE hassock was so heavy-O, I dropped it plump upon my toe ! I could not lift it ; for, you see, It was too big for little me. It was so big and heavy-O ! So heavy-O ! No matter, though ; For some day, when I'm old and tall, The hassock will be light and small. 70 The Round Rabbit THE HAL F-H OUR CLOCK O H dear, oh dear ! " cried little Prue, " The old clock's banished for a new! " The old with frankness struck the hours, And never failed, for sun or showers. " But look, to-day, my lessons done, I heard it well : the clock struck one! " 'T was half-past twelve, as I could see. The new clock told a lie to me ! " Again I heard, my play begun, That single sound : the clock struck one ! " < Sir Clock, 1 said I, ' I '11 not obey, No matter how much one you say.' " I played and played, quite long I played, And wandered in the garden shade. " Then such a hungry feeling came, I knew 't was half-past one. Ah, shame ! 71 The Round Rabbit " To cheat me of my broth and bun, Yet through the door that clock struck one! " A very saucy trick, you know, To strike three ones all in a row! " 12 The Round Rabbit TOMMYS ALPHABET " ^^L TOW this is A," mamma would say ; ^J " And tliis is Q,, and this is U, ■*■ ^ And this is I. Now say them — try." Oh ! Tommy was a youngster yet To learn to say his alphabet ; But, bless his heart ! though he was small, He knew his letters — almost all. So mother pointed, and her son Began to name them, one by one. "This one?" "It'sB." "And this?" " It 's C." "And this?" " It s L ; I know it well." " Nay ; try again ! " "It must be N." " And this one ? " — pointing to an I — " That's you ! " was Tommy's quick reply. Mamma, the error to undo, Now pointed to the letter U. Small Tommy pondered ; then quoth he, His face aglow with smiles, " That 's me ! " 73 The Round Rabbit CRONY CREE THE children came tripping from out of the town, All in the sunshine mellow. The children came tripping the dingle down, And saw a crone in a crinkly gown, Who, patting a pudding that cost a crown, Sang, " Jack 's a hungry fellow ! " " Your name, O crone, what may it be, All in the sunshine mellow ? " " My name? My name, it is Crony Cree! And now, of my name what good have ye ? Come help me all to brew the tea ! Oh, Jack 's a hungry fellow ! " Make haste and clear the dingle up, All in the sunshine mellow, And gown my cat, and groom my pup, And mix the meal in the pewter cup. Jack Frost, my friend, is coming to sup, And Jack 's a hungry fellow ! " 74 The Round Rabbit " O Crony Cree, the meal is new — The meal is rich and mellow — But the little brown mice are marching through ; So, Crony Cree, what shall we do?" " Oh ! the little brown mice — I mix them, too — For Jack 's a hungry fellow ! " " O Crony Cree, our toil hath ceased, All in the sunshine mellow ; The wind is rising in the East, The meal is mixed, the pot is greased, And now we wait to see him feast : For Jack 's a hungry fellow ! " " Nay, get ye back to town forthright, While still the sunshine 's mellow. He'll take a nip, he'll take a bite, Wherever he can, by dark or light. Then mind ye make your windows tight ; For Jack 's a hungry fellow ! " 75 The Round Rabbit THE NEW UMBRELLA OH, Ella! With her first umbrella ! She walked abroad like any queen. She held it proudly for display, Admired its handle, stroked its sheen. Was ever little girl more gay ? Dear Ella ! Such a small umbrella ! Once in the rain-swept market-place I met her ; dripping were her curls. She looked, despite her sunny face, The most forlorn of little girls. " Why, Ella ! Where's your new umbrella?" Said I ; " the storm has drenched your hair I Just see your frock ! just see your hat ! And what is this you hug with care, A broom, a fiddle, or a cat? " 76 The Round Rabbit Oh, Ella! With her first umbrella ! She looked at me and shyly spoke, The raindrops pelting on her yet : " I have it here beneath my cloak, Because, you see, it might get wet ! " 77 The Round Rabbit THE LITTLE ROUND TORPEDO " 1^ T OW have you heard the rumour? ^W There 's going to be a show. ^ ^ We 're all in jolly humour, For we 're to join, you know, A merry time to speed-O ! " Said the little round torpedo. " The old pavilion's charming, In red and white and blue. The cheers will be alarming To Baby Yanka-doo — Yet he 's to take the lead-O ! " Said the little round torpedo. " The rocket is for Larry, The pin-wheel is for Prue, The crackers are for Harry, But I 'm for Yanka-doo ! When I go off, take heed-O ! " Said the little round torpedo. 78~ The Round Rabbit " His hand is very tender ; Yet, though he 's only two, His country's own defender Is darling Yanka-doo. We '11 do a valiant deed-O ! " Said the little round torpedo. 79 The Round Rabbit THE CITY GUIDE WHAT garden's that? With pleasure, sir! The very garden where The mad dog ran, that grocer's cur, That gave us such a scare. This street ? The prettiest street in town. Aunt Mary lives on this, And Baby Prue walks up and down, And never goes amiss. The name ? I don't remember ; but Why need a small girl know ? I 'm sure it 's where I found the nut, And lost my bonnet's bow. I 'm glad I 've helped you, traveller ! No matter what they say, A city 's very simple, sir, When once you know the way ! 80 The Round Rabbit THE CITY GUIDE The Round Rabbit A A LITTLE GIRL'S QUESTION SWEET-EYED child Looked down and smiled, As to her breast Her doll she pressed, Then raised her head, And softly said : " Mamma, when you (Before you grew So tall) wore socks, And short white frocks Above your knee, And were, like me, A girlie small — Was I your doll?" 82 The Round Rabbit BABY WHAT is the baby doing, pray, All the minutes of all the day? She is too little to talk or creep. She can do nothing but sleep and sleep. She cannot read, she cannot sew ! But she can grow ! What does the little baby soul, As all the hours strike and roll? To it the day is as the night; It cannot tell the wrong from right. It seems to do nothing but slumber so ! But it can grow ! 83 The Round Rabbit BYE-LOW BILLY LITTLE Bye-low Billy Roamed up and down, Like a white lily, Through Dreamland Town. Queer little people Ran in amaze ; The big church steeple Stooped down to gaze; Women stopped knitting, Each ran to her door ; The birds stopped flitting ; The boats put ashore ; Men stopped working, And stared, every one ; The cook went a-shirking The loaves just begun ; 84 The Round Rabbit The moon fell asunder ; Little drums beat, To see such a wonder Toddle down street ! Bill, a bit silly, Searched in the skies, Dear Bye-low Billy ! For the sunrise. Bill, a bit weepy, To roam, roam, roam, Said : " I 'm not sleepy, I think I'll go home!" 85 The Round Rabbit MY FAIR TREE OH ! my fair tree was my heart's best, Gowned gaily in the green of spring, And my fair tree in summer dressed, The fairest thing ! When down it dashed its veil of gold, I loved to see it bow and sweep To autumn. But at winter's cold, How I did weep ! Till in the winter, one sweet night I saw it white from top to toe, And through it glancing, light on light, Great stars aglow ! And now forever choose I do, As dearest of them all to me, The little robe that heaven shines through, For my fair tree. 86 The Round Rabbit A BOYS YEAR S I watch the old year go, In my memory, like a show, ■I can see the months pass by, One by one, before my eye; See them in the leafy street Of the garden at my feet ; See them pass and hear them talk. And how slowly some would walk! Just a boy with all his might, Seeing all with all his sight, Playing hard with all his strength, Reaching out to life's full length, Eager in a race to run, With a heart that beat for fun, Slow to freeze and quick to thaw — Was what January saw. Just a poor form sick and bound, Fleeting February found. 87 The Round Rabbit Cried she : " Follow and rejoice ! " But I hardly heard her voice. March blew softly in my ear, Then more loud, my heart to cheer. But I scarcely saw her pass, Stepping o'er the frozen grass. April tried to comfort me ; Laughed, and sang a merry glee. How her face with kindness shone ! Yet she 'd melt in tears anon. Then my wayward tears would start, Till I cried with all my heart, Cried as lonely fellows may, On a cloudy April day. But behold ! again I smiled, For I saw a beauteous child, And I called (I knew her form In the yellow sunshine warm) — " Give me, May, O, give me, do ! Just one little violet blue ! " 88 The Round Rabbit Then below my window, see ! Lovely violets bloomed for me. June, the summer's own delight, Left me roses red and white. And July her rich perfume Wafted through my little room ; Beckoned me, the livelong days, To her quiet woodland ways. And I whispered, " Dear July, I am coming, by and by ! " August glided, one sweet night, Down the path of Northern Light, Till, with laugh and sudden bound, Lighted she on mortal ground, While from heaven's golden bars Angels pelted her with stars. And I longed to join their mirth, Looking down upon the earth. Ah, September sad and wet ! How shall I her face forget ? 89 The Round Rabbit Darkest month of all my thought, For the dreadful dream she brought, As I lay one candlelight. How the rain fell down that night ! Some one whispered in the rain, " He will never walk again ! " Yet I hailed October well, Tingling from the hickory dell, Where she left the boys at play, Midst the nuts and barberries gay, Heaping up the tangled maze For the crackling bonfire's blaze. " Oh," I thought, " do they recall One whose laugh once led them all ?" In the cold November blast Called I as Hope came at last, To the leaves of brown and red, Skipping, skeltering ahead : " Some day, little leaves, maybe You shall run a race with me ; 90 The Round Rabbit You shall see my faster feet, As they twinkle up the street ! " Dear December, clad in white, She that brought the Holy Night, Songful came and tarried long, With a message in her song. Sweetest month of all of them, For her Star of Bethlehem. Yes, and in my life's dark cup, Look, my starlight filtered up! New Year's Day ! with snow and sleet Once again beneath my feet ! New Year's Day — my pulses swing Till, for very strength, I sing ! Hail the New Year back again ! All the pageant months of pain, Safely in my soul secured, It is sweet to have endured ! 91 The Round Rabbit THE LITTLE HELPER D EAR cook ! she lets me stir the bowl, And the sweet flour she lets me roll. I 'm really helping, while she makes A fine, rich lot of dainty cakes. Of all the arts and crafts, now look, I 'd like to be a kind old cook! I stir, I pat, I roll away. Oh ! what a happy sort of play. But in the oven when they go, 'T is all that I 'm allowed to know. For little folks may fuss and bake; But older people eat the cake ! 92 The Round Rabbit LULLABY ROCKING, rocking, bye- low-bye! Kitty-cat is purring, purring, And the evening wind is stirring, Blowing low, blowing high, While the evening shadows creep. Rocking, rocking, bye-low-bye ! Sleep, my baby, sleep! Rocking, rocking, bye-low-bye ! Close thine eyelids, little treasure! Time another night shall measure. Little dreams shall hither fly, Nestling 'neath thy lashes deep. Sleep, my darling ! bye-low-bye ! Sleep, my baby, sleep ! 93 The Round Rabbit BACK IN BOSTON TOWN II ! but it s fine to take a trip Along the sunny shore, To see strange cities past you slip, You never saw before. Oh ! but it 's fine to see each day Some new thing of renown ! To stay a dozen weeks away From my sweet Boston Town. Oh ! but it 's best to come back home, To see the Old South spire, And the distant gleam of the State- House dome, Like a ball of golden fire. Oh ! but it 's best to be back here In my play-room, Puss, with you, Where all the scenes are freshly dear, And all the old toys new. 94 The Round Rabbit THE PINE TREE HALF up the cliff stood the friendly pine. I looked aloft from the ocean's line, And soft in its branches cradled high, It rocked a little baby sk • I climbed the cliff, and I looked half down On the pine tree clad in its green and brown, And soft in its branches tenderlv It cuddled a little baby sea ! One blustering night, I know not ho" . The moon had leaped to the topmost bough, And the good old pine, with merry gfcftti . Was swinging it madlv to and fro ! 95 The Round Rabbit A YOUNG PHILANTHROPIST MY pennies once I wished to save, To buy some pleasant thing — Perhaps a dolly decked and brave, New mittens, or a ring. But when I saw how Maggy pressed Her fingers in the storm, I wore old mitts, and bought no best, That Maggy might go warm. I bought me not a single toy, But saved a cent instead, Or went without some little joy, That Maggy might have bread. Or I would take another street, To shun the organ- man, And save a cent for Maggy's feet, If stockings were my plan. 96 The Round Rabbit A hundred cents I counted o'er — A dollar rich was I. Dear little idlers ; at the store I longed to make them fly ! But Maggy's door instead I sought, As Maggy well recalls. And Maggy went to town, and bought One hundred taffy-balls ! 97 The Round Rabbit THE MOON IN THE POND DEARLY do I love to linger In the scented summer air, And to dip an idle finger In the pond serene and fair. There the moon in wide-eyed wonder Down a mile of azure deep Slips and shimmers softly under Clouds most marvellous and steep. Pebbles light as little kisses To the water moon I throw, And in pleasant, cool abysses Sinking down the sky they go. 98 The Round Rabbit FINDING THINGS 1LOVE to roam around, And look on trees and skies. Yet sometimes fixed upon the ground I keep my watchful eyes. For finding things is fun ! Now have you ever tried ? One day I found a little bun With berries baked inside. And once it was a cent, And once it was a dime ! A corkscrew very oddly bent I found, another time. I found a little toy, Down where the wild brook sings. Oh! am I not a lucky boy, To find so many things ? 99 N-Wfc The Round Rabbit STEPHANAS RINGS OH, Stephana's rings were falling Over her little flannel gown ! They made no jingle as they came down, Themselves in hush installing. Oh, Stephana's shears were glancing ! She filled her hands as full as she might, Spread silken rings on her pillow white. Oh, Stephana's eyes were dancing ! Oh, Stephana's dreams were creeping, When we found her shorn on her cloth of gold, And we smiled and smiled — for who could scold, When Stephana smiled in sleeping ? 100 The Round Rabbit THE LITTLE SQUARE CLOCK THE china dog on the table sat, And the ivory elephant smooth and fat, And the crystal cat and the little square clock. Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock. Down came a fairy so dear and sweet, Golden-gowned to the tips of her feet. No taller she was than a light, soft quill, And she bade them wish (as fairies will). Loud rose the dog's beseeching wail: " I have lost my tail, I have lost my tail ! O fairy free, if thy power be true, Give me a new, give me a new ! " Up spake the elephant, spirit-sunk : " I have lost my trunk, I have lost my trunk ! O fairy free, if thy power be true, Give me a new, give me a new ! " 101 The Round Rabbit Quoth the crystal cat, " I much rejoice ! I have lost my voice, Oh, I 've lost my voice ! O fairy free, if thy power be true, Give me a m-e-w, give me a m-e-w ! " The fairy's wand had a wondrous quirk. Each gift came forth and began its work. And then she saw (and she turned quite red) She 'd forgotten the little square clock, which said " My corners have never a crick or crack, My hands are whole. I have n't a lack. O fairy free ; dost bid me choose ? Give, O, give me something to lose ! " The crystal cat mewed a silent mew. The dog and the elephant wondered, too. The fairy nodded a nod sublime, And flourished her wand, and gave it Time. She gave it Time, since when the grace Of satisfaction is on its face, And all day long, all night, 'twill sit, Losing and losing and losing it. 102 JTOV 18 KTA N^Wj 1 •***«. • ta/i% »*« ti» «W V^K S-:v ?^£&I&& ife .•»«•..« i •!«•• .'<-•; -'.-ja i*£-.i 'vii: '.&&. mmmzmm Sv##&& WAtti mm uy-:v @«ff^%AiS»l^i^%£ ^ KSU '•wtfTsA 138 ! v*i#™M ft&^&Vtffrai MKK •^i LIBRARY OF CONGRESS^ 1 1 III III II III II III fIJ 1 1, 015 908 890 A *%0\