PS 
 
 / / 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
 
 Slielf..L..\/.V.2^ 
 
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
OUR 
 
 DOROTHY 
 
 ^ 
 
 VERSES BY M. A. W. 
 
 \^ 
 
 
 NEW YORK "^''n »it' 
 
 FREDERICK WARNE & CO. 
 
 3 COOPER UNION 
 
 :) 
 
 n. 
 

 CorVRIGHT, 1893, BY 
 
 FREDERICK WARNE & CO. 
 
 Press of J. J. Little & Co. 
 Astor Place, New York 
 
TO MY GOD-CHILD 
 
 DOROTHY 
 
 THESE VERSES ARE LOVINGLY 
 DEDICATED 
 
 M. A. W. 
 
 The theme of tiiis story is founded upon the circumstances 
 whicii led a lonely little stranger to a happy home. 
 
 The illustrations are from photographs by Frank P. Jewett, 
 of Orange, N.J. 
 
OUR DOROTHY. 
 
 Orie day iri early Spririg, riot lorig ago, 
 
 Fell frorri t]\e far blile s^ies to eartli below, 
 
 R je"Wel of Cl^rist's, a pure brigl^t pearl. 
 
 Not as NoKorqis of old, did it fall, 
 
 Wlqere blossorqs covered tY\e eartY\ as a pall, 
 
 Tl]is baby vJee — tl^is dear little girl, 
 
 Iri a l|ospital \^ard, v^itl) lA^alls cold ar\d wlqite, 
 
 Tl^e soiil of tY\e Motlier l)ad taKeri its fligtit 
 
 To joiri tl^e Fatl:\er's, gone before, 
 
 Ttie baby eyes rqeet but tlr^e cUrioUs glaqce 
 
 Of eyes tY\at looK only v^\tY\ silfferarice, 
 
 Tl^at \\;orider arid pity, but r]ot]qirig rqore. 
 
 No lovirig arrr^s to clasp iri close erqbrace. 
 
 No firigers, forid, to stroKe tlie upturned face; 
 
 No soft Kiss to still tl-^e plaintive irioar). 
 
 R loriely stranger iri a stranger larid; 
 
 Tossed frorq tlrie sea of Life Upori tl^e strand, 
 
 Horr\eless and friendless and all alone T 
 
iRECT HER JUST TO 'CASTLEWOOD. 
 
" Dear God ir] HeaVen, ^ill yoil be so Kind 
 
 " fls to looK aroiirid and see if yoiI can't fir^d 
 
 " R little baby — 'specially jiist for n\e. 
 
 " I'll taKe thie Very best of care of l]er. 
 
 " If jiist tl^e sanqe to yoii, I'd nqiicl^ prefer 
 
 " R girl, witl^ eyes as bro^vT) as tl)ey can be. 
 
 " My sister Debbie died, and I loved l^er so ; 
 
 "TI|ey piit I|er in tl)e ground wl^ere daisies gro\^i, 
 
 ' I'll see l]er sorqe day, if I'rn good. 
 
 "Now please to send anotl^er cliild do\Vri Ijere 
 
 " Th(e first day tl|at it is M)aYn\ aqd clear; 
 
 "Direct Irier just to ' CastlevJood.' " 
 
Dear little Gladys I Tl^e letter is dorie, 
 After rqariy deep siglr^s and one inky tr(iirr|b; 
 CrooKedly stands tt^e stanqp at one side, 
 Day after day passes — no baby arrives. 
 To v\;ait very patiently, ti\e little one strives, 
 For tY\e gift tY\at God is to send, 
 
" Do you 'spose God 'ill get it rigl]t straigl)t away, 
 " Ri\d ser[d rr^e tl^e baby ^^itlioUt ariy delay?" 
 
 SY\e asKs of eacY\ orie iri tl^eir turri. 
 
 fl.ll tt|e l:\oiIseliold, of course, is rqUcl] an\Used 
 
 flrid Witt) l^er longings becorr\e suffused, 
 
 (Cl]ildrer(T a lessor] you rr\ay learri.) 
 
 One nqornirig, Papa in Iriis paper reads 
 
 fl rnessage tt\at seenqs to rneet just tlr^e needs 
 
 Of t^is ]T\Uct\ indulged srqall girl. 
 
 Wlqat is tt|ere tl^at l^e Would not do for Iqer 
 
 Is a deep problerq for pliilosopiqer ; 
 
 'Round l^er tt|Urnb, Y\e seenqs to twirl I 
 
YOU'D BETTER WRITE AND HAVE HER SENT.' 
 
"See, Gladys! there's a baby, ready jilst for yoii, 
 " R little girl, one year old, and bro^n eyes, too I 
 " Yoil'd better ^rite ar]d l^ave l^er sent." 
 
 Perliaps tl\e Brooklyn postnqari better Kno'ws 
 
 (Tl^an " God in Heaven ") to M^l^ere tl]is letter goes ; 
 
 For a reply carne, of qilicK consent. 
 
 In Motl)er's post-bag conqes an ans\^^er, sure. 
 ' If ttie little girl our baby would secure, 
 ' Do conqe soon across tl)e bridge to Us. 
 ' Rr]d if you give l]er tender, loving care, 
 ' Rr]d \Vitr\ l^er all your rnany blessings sl|are, 
 ' Ti]e act will be rnost generous." 
 
'GLADYS HERSELF, AS PROUD AS SHE CAN BE. 
 
" Across tl^e bridge " ty]ey qiiicKly go to see 
 T\]e niysterioils babe, ar\d all agree 
 'Tvv)as sent for tlienq arid tY\en\ alone, 
 Gladys' Motl^er's lieart is large enoilgli for all 
 Her cliildren blessed, and tl:iis poor Waif so srqall, 
 Slie taKes tl|e cliild, inaKes it lier own. 
 Her baby troubles qUicKly fade aWay, 
 DarKest nig^l^ beconqes tlie briglitest day. 
 Tlie siin of fortune gaily on lier srniles, 
 Brotliers and Sisters trover 'round to pet ; 
 Tlie little one l^er past will soon forget, 
 Hnd all Will love l^er for l^er l^arrqless wiles. 
 Gladys' baby I Everyone must corne and see ; 
 Gladys l^erself, as proud as sl\e can be, 
 Rr\d tt]e Wee one coos a Welcorqe sWeet. 
 All rnust adrnire tl^e curling h^^ir, tt^e funny nose, 
 Tl\e brigl^t brown eyes, rqoutli like unto tl|e rose, 
 And tl\e "dearest, darling little feetl" 
 
BUT PLEASE, MA'AM, NEED I BE SO CLEAN' 
 
Th|e little Marrirqa's airs are cute to see I 
 
 RT\d baby strives so very patiently 
 
 To do jiist YJY\at is good aqd rigtit. 
 "No, no, n\y dear," says t]:|is riurse so large; 
 " You rT\Ust rT|irid nqe, ^Vtiile you are iq nqy ct|arge, 
 " Or I cari't trust you frorq rriy sigl^t. 
 " You Know you belong 'specially to rc\e. 
 " I w/rote to God for you at first, you see." 
 
 Ttie baby laUgl:)s aloud at tl^is — 
 
 Hnd says (in Dutct] ) "You're ttje dearest one 
 I've seen ; 
 
 But please, rna'arn, need I be so clean?" 
 
 Rr\d all ends in a l^Ug and Kiss. 
 
RqaiT\, at " ^iq^ tea " see tl^enq sit and play: 
 "Bobby" decKed out ir] "SiJriday best" array, 
 fill quaff tlr^e far-farn_ed cup tY\at cl:|eers. 
 
Crasl)! " YoiJ do r(Ot TT\ir]d, or ever] seenq to, 
 NaUgl^ty one ! Dori't cry ; you did not rqeari to. 
 I will not spanK yoil— dry your tears I" 
 

 * c- 
 
 ^v. 
 
 
 THAT 'GOD WILL WATCH THEM HERE AND EVERYWHERE.'" 
 
TY\er[ " awfiil beddie tiinqe " conqes quickly oq ; 
 Tl^e t\^)ilig]:]t closes dowri Upoq tl^eir fur] ; 
 Birds arid babies go to soft, warrq qest ; 
 Tlr\e ctiildist) lips togetl^er lisp tl^eir prayer 
 Triat " God Will ^^'atcl] tlrierq riere aqd everywriere, 
 Jlrid let qot ariytriirig ttieir sleep rriolest." 
 
'OUR DOROTHY —THAT IS NOW HER NAME. 
 
Heaven surely sent tl^is baby to our care. 
 Wtioso offends tl^ese little ones, beware I" 
 Said Clirist, ^1)0 fronq above on Cbristinas canqe 
 Tlie lA^liite-^inged letter broUglit lier down to us, 
 'Tlie gift of God," gift so rniraculousi 
 'Our Dorotliy "— tliat is now) lier narqe. 
 
M.