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Poems of... 
 
 ...Childhood 
 
 By 
 Harvey M. Miller 
 
 THE HAWTHORNE PRESS 
 ELIZABETHVILLE, PA. 
 

 LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
 Two Copies Received 
 
 DEQ 12 \908 
 
 .1, Oopyritfnt Entry ^ 
 CUSS CL Wto No ' 
 
 t?** 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, 
 in the year 1908 by Harvey M. Miller, in 
 the office of the Librarian of Congress at 
 Washington. 
 
TO 
 OUR DAUGHTER 
 SARA PARK MILLER 
 
 AGE 3 
 
 THIS LITTLE VOLUME 
 
 IS 
 
 AFFECTIONATELY 
 
 DEDICATED 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 
 PART I 
 
 
 
 PACE 
 
 Afraid of the Wind 
 
 17 
 
 'Ant a C'aus 
 
 87 
 
 Br'er Rabbit 
 
 32 
 
 Bed-time in Fairyland 
 
 6l 
 
 Building Blocks 
 
 65 
 
 Clock, The 
 
 38 
 
 Dolly's Troubles 
 
 20 
 
 Gobbler, The 
 
 46 
 
 Gran' pa 
 
 57 
 
 Gran 'ma 
 
 75 
 
 Grumble Alley 
 
 81 
 
 Little Housekeeper 
 
 69 
 
 Mule, The 
 
 39 
 
 Moon, The 
 
 52 
 
CONTENTS 
 PART I 
 
 PACE 
 
 Mamma's Mistake 53 
 
 Mary Ann 64 
 
 Make Believe 73 
 
 Preacher, The 30 
 
 Pussy Me-ow 62 
 
 Ride a Horse 26 
 
 Rain Man, The 36 
 
 Swing, The 47 
 
 Seeing Things 49 
 
 Sleepy-head 71 
 
 Summer Land 78 
 
 Shadow, The 84 
 
 Tell-tale Birdie, The 55 
 
 Winter-Time 23 
 
 Wooden-Hill, The 40 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 
 PART II 
 
 
 
 PACE 
 
 Baby's Prayer 
 
 I05 
 
 Going Bye-bye 
 
 126 
 
 Home-made Royalty 
 
 IOI 
 
 Hand-writing on the Wall 
 
 121 
 
 Little Crib, The 
 
 93 
 
 Little Sweetheart 
 
 118 
 
 Little Seamstress, The 
 
 106 
 
 Noah's Ark 
 
 "3 
 
 Pink Piggies 
 
 102 
 
 Question Mark 
 
 no 
 
 Rainbow, The 
 
 120 
 
 Slumber Song 
 
 98 
 
 Tinware Band, The 
 
 103 
 
A MESSAGE TO CHILDREN 
 By Rev. Dr. Theodore E. Cuyler. 
 
 Written expressly for this volume— "Poems 
 of Childhood." 
 
 •' 
 d \dJh*fcL Ul yn*. -^J^yt^y Lit SLj^ 
 
 Ivy ^ j^A. C~ Wh oj 1 Vv^ uA* irkM&ljL 
 JYtoy, hJTl^ l^$ky wdf ^t-^fybyL /^ 
 
Dr. Cuyler's Message : 
 
 "Honor thy father and thy mother" is 
 one of God's commandments to all child- 
 ren. It means do what they bid you— 
 always tell them the truth— and always 
 treat them with the tenderest love. 
 
 I have never known a boy or girl to 
 turn out well who trampled on the wishes 
 of father or mother. 
 
 When George Washington was sixteen 
 years old he determined to leave home and 
 enter the Navy. But his mother wept 
 so bitterly that he said to his servant 
 "bring back my trunk; I am not going to 
 make my dear mother suffer so by leaving 
 her." That decision of filial affection 
 led him into the career that made him 
 afterwards the honored and beloved 
 "Father of his Country." 
 
TO SARA 
 
 To you, Bright Kyes, wee human toy, 
 A precious heaven and earth alio}*-, 
 From Fancy's free, unfathomed spring 
 These chalices of verse I bring. 
 For with your coming also came 
 Some of my childhood back again : 
 The half-forgotten Long Ago, 
 The things I did and used to know, 
 And all the story books and toys 
 That made my childhood heart rejoice. 
 So for the pages of this book 
 Of Memory's keepsake store I took 
 What of my childhood still endures 
 To mingle that with all of yours. 
 
PART I 
 
AFRAID OF THE WIND 
 
 SOMETIMES when my prayers are 
 said, 
 And mamma puts me into bed, 
 Up and down along the sky 
 Comes a wild man riding by: 
 
 Up and down, and back again, 
 Rattling at the window-pane, 
 Calling loudly "Yoo !" so he 
 Surely must be after me. 
 
 I can hear him galloping 
 'Round the house like ever 'thing 
 To my window here, and then 
 Calling "Yoo!" and "Yoo!" again. 
 
 17 
 
Then I draw the covers out 
 So he can't see I'm about, 
 Close my eyes and, breathing low 
 Wish he'd stop his calling so. 
 
 But he never seems to mind, 
 just keeps calling all the time, 
 All the time as if he knew 
 All the naughty things I do. 
 
 Then I creep, completely hid, 
 Underneath the coverlid, 
 Think of all my naughty spells,— 
 I can think of nothing else. 
 
 18 
 
Till at last when he says "Yoo !" 
 I can't help but cry "Boo— hoo !' 
 For I'm drefful scared, and then 
 Mamma hurries up again. 
 
 "It is just the wind," says she, 
 "Nature's holy minstrelsy: 
 Every soft and tender note 
 Rises from a fairy's throat." 
 
 So I close my eyes and creep 
 Safely to the Land of Sleep, 
 With the wild man riding by, 
 Up and down along the sky. 
 
 19 
 
DOLLY'S TROUBLES 
 
 Dolly's miser 'ble, oh my ! 
 
 Since Teddy Bear is here; 
 Her tongue is silent but her eye 
 
 Holds many a china tear. 
 She gets a ter'ble jealous fit, 
 
 And pulls her hair apart, 
 And soon or late I fear that it 
 
 Will break her sawdust heart 
 
 I know she cannot bear a bear 
 
 'At looks so drefful stern. 
 And all growed up with woolly hair, 
 
 Just like a pussy -worm, 
 For when I take him by the paw, 
 
 And lay her on the shelf. 
 She's so disgusted with it all 
 
 She can't express herself. 
 
 20 
 
Once when I took some honey cake 
 
 For Teddy Bear and me, 
 And mamma found out, goodness 
 
 sake ! 
 
 And wasn't there to see, 
 And I got something, I confess, 
 
 'At wasn't made o' dough, 
 Why, dolly went and told, I guess, 
 
 Or how would mamma know 
 
 And once she shook her china fist 
 
 When Teddy Bear came in, 
 And just to see him run she hissed 
 
 The plaster dog at him; 
 The muslin cat woke up at that 
 
 To stop the plaster pup, 
 But Teddy Bear stood still right there 
 
 And et both of 'em up. 
 
 21 
 
But dolly still is dear to me 
 
 And gets my bestest care: 
 A mother loves her child, you see, 
 
 More than a Teddy Bear. 
 I give her kisses just like this* * * 
 
 As loving mothers do, 
 Hut gracious me ! I'd never kiss 
 
 A hairy bear. Would you ? 
 
 22 
 
WINTERTIME 
 
 Now hides the Sun his golden cup 
 Behind the silver cloud, 
 
 And shuts his fiery eyelid up, 
 
 That made old Summer proud. 
 
 The sky is white with snowy fleece 
 That all about us spreads, 
 
 And fairies now pluck fairy geese 
 For fairy feather-beds. 
 
 The fields are like a milky sea 
 Across the meadow-land, 
 
 And where the drift piles merrily, 
 There is the silver strand. 
 
 23 
 
The pond is all of shining steel 
 
 Which boys and girls explore. 
 
 And fly about on wing-ed heel 
 Across the polished floor. 
 
 The sleigh-bells sing a silver song 
 Along the marble street, 
 
 Where all the merry-hearted throng 
 In furry comfort meet. 
 
 The trees are all a china show, 
 The fences all are chalk, 
 
 And people tiptoe to and fro 
 Upon the glassy walk. 
 
 24 
 
The ivy scarcely stirs an inch, 
 Cemented to the wall, 
 
 And Winter's frosty fingers pinch 
 The rosy cheeks of all. 
 
 lint snugly by the fire I sit 
 
 And rock on mamma's knee, 
 
 And never mind the cold a bit 
 As you can plainly see. 
 
 -D 
 
RIDE A HORSE 
 
 When I tire of playing here, 
 And I feel uncomf'y queer, 
 Just as if I'd like to go 
 Where the sugar-berries grow, 
 I leave ever'thing I own, 
 Toys and picture books at home, 
 And go riding far away, 
 To the land of Happy Day. 
 
 Happy Day is always bright, 
 Just a land of sweet delight, 
 Where the robin plays his flute 
 On the boughs of golden fruit, 
 And the bee in selfish pride 
 Makes the rose his honey bride, 
 And the people smile and say : 
 "Glad to see you, happy day !" 
 
 26 
 
When I'm ready, off I go, 
 But my horsey goes so slow; 
 First a walk and walk, you see, 
 Riding horse on mamma's knee, 
 And I can't get there too soon, 
 Where the candy kisses bloom, 
 And the children laugh and play 
 In the land of Happy Day. 
 
 So to make my horsey hep, 
 I keep shouting : "Please giddep ! 
 Crack my whip and bouncing go, 
 On the saddle, high and low; 
 First a walk and then a trot, 
 Never moving from the spot, 
 Trit-trot, trit-trot, far away, 
 To the land of Happy Day. 
 
 27 
 
Trit-trot, trit-trot, off I ride 
 Where the ginger babies hide, 
 Chocolate cats and creamy mice, 
 In a sugar paradise; 
 Where the ice cream cow says ' ' Moo' 
 And the taffy sticks like glue, 
 In its sweetness there I see 
 Happy Day ahead of me. 
 
 Fast and faster then we trot, 
 Hurrying on without a stop 
 Nor a trouble to annoy, 
 O'er the sunny hills of joy; 
 Then we gallop, gallop in 
 To the palace of the king, 
 Where the princes are at play 
 In the land of Happy Day. 
 
 28 
 
There I see the fairy queen, 
 Like a splendid painted dream,— 
 Really truly every look 
 Just like in my story book; 
 And she plies her fairy art 
 With a charm upon my heart, 
 So that when I ride away 
 It is always happy day. 
 
 Then my horsey goes trit-trot, 
 Slow and slower to a stop; 
 Tired, sure enough, but then 
 I am safely home again. 
 And it's 'deed-'n-double true, 
 All my toys seem just like new, 
 And the kingdom where I play 
 Is the land of Happy Day. 
 
 29 
 
THE PREACHER 
 
 On Sundays when the sky is clear 
 So they don't soil their clothes, 
 
 Folks hurry off to church to hear 
 How much the preacher knows. 
 
 The preacher stands up at a desk 
 And tells them when to sing, 
 
 And when some stop to take a rest, 
 Why, others just begin. 
 
 He reads a big book for a while, 
 
 Until it's time to pray, 
 And next a man comes thro' the aisle , 
 
 And then you have to pay. 
 
 30 
 
Then all at once they all keep still, 
 To see what he will do, 
 
 And then he reads the big book till 
 I guess he reads it through. 
 
 And after that they sing some more, 
 And next he prays, and then 
 
 The people start off for the door 
 And hurry home again. 
 
 3' 
 
BR'ER RABBIT 
 
 Old Br'er Rabbit comes a-hopping up 
 the lane, 
 
 Knowing it is sure enough Easter-Time 
 again; 
 
 Acting drefful scary-like because a hun- 
 ter chap 
 
 Only last winter-time caught him in a 
 trap, 
 
 And that was a tale of woe, for by the 
 tail he got 'm, 
 
 But Br'er Rabbit hopped away and 
 wrapped it up in cotton. 
 
 32 
 
Now Br'er Rabbit, shy-like, keeps his 
 
 winkers open, 
 And he's just so ter'ble busy now you 
 
 never find him loafin'; 
 Don't have time to comb his hair or 
 
 stroke his little whiskers, 
 Because the little laddies and all their 
 
 little sisters 
 Are expecting him to get around and 
 
 leave a little nest 
 Of pretty colored Easter eggs afore they're 
 
 up and dressed. 
 
 33 
 
I often wondered why it was the Good 
 
 Man made him so 
 That all the time he's hopping when he's 
 
 running, -now I know: 
 It keeps you always hopping when you 
 
 have so much to do, 
 And that is how Br'er Rabbit does or he 
 
 could not get thro', 
 And millions little boys and girls would 
 
 all be disappointed 
 If the Good Man hadn't made the Easter 
 
 Rabbit nimble-jointed. 
 
 34 
 
So Br'er Rabbit conies along a-hopping 
 
 up the lane, 
 Coming 'round rememberin' his little 
 
 friends again; 
 Hears them say their little prayers and 
 
 sweetly go to rest, 
 And then he goes a-hopping 'round to 
 
 fill the Easter nest. 
 He knows they'll all be happy when it's 
 
 time to wake again, 
 So Br'er Rabbit hurries off a-hopping 
 
 down the lane. 
 
 35 
 
THE RAIN MAN 
 
 IN summer when it's very warm 
 
 The Rani Man rides upon the storm 
 And booming like a big bass drum, 
 I hear his rumbling chariot come, 
 And every time he lights his pipe 
 I see the flash, by day or night. 
 
 He brings a brimming sprinkling can 
 To cheer the weary farmer man, 
 Then stops directly overhead 
 And spills it o'er the garden-bed, 
 And scrubs the dusty, dirty face 
 Of every posy in the place. 
 
 36 
 
He gives the rose a cleaner dress 
 
 Of crimson velvet loveliness, 
 
 And in the lily's snowy cup 
 
 He pours a drink to freshen up, 
 
 And when his pipe goes out at last, 
 
 The Rain Man and the storm have passed. 
 
 37 
 
THE CLOCK 
 
 HP HE clock is running where it stands, 
 
 But never gets away, 
 And there it points with both its hands 
 
 To tell the time of day. 
 
 Ft tells the time to go to bed, 
 
 And when it's time to rise, 
 
 "Wake up!" it says, "you sleepy-head. 
 And rub, and rub your eyes." 
 
 And if I wake or if I sleep, 
 
 It tells the time, I know, 
 
 And that, I guess, is just what keeps 
 Its tongue a-wagging so. 
 
THE MULE 
 
 HPHE patient mule is always sad, 
 
 * His face is mostly ears, 
 Which keeps him feeling ter'ble bad 
 About the things he hears. 
 
 And even when he hears a joke 
 
 That splits him 'most in half, 
 
 You'd think his funny-bone was broke 
 To hear his mournful laugh. 
 
 His tail is smooth as any eel, 
 
 And when he's tickled there, 
 
 He cheers so hearty with his heel 
 That all his sadness share. 
 
 39 
 
THE WOODEN HILL 
 
 y | S HE Sandman comes on tippy-tiptoe, 
 
 At night when the sun goes down, 
 And the hush-a-by breezes softly blow 
 
 O'er the children in Drowsy-Town 
 The By-low lady sings sweet and low, 
 
 And the Sandman tiptoes still, 
 While we rub our eyes and away we go, 
 
 Away up the Wooden Hill. 
 
 40 
 
The way up the Wooden Hill I know 
 
 Like a path in a posy park : 
 It's the place where the wall-paper roses 
 grow 
 All day and all night in the dark : 
 Where it's all growed over with carpet 
 flowers 
 To be crushed right under my feet 
 When the Sandman comes in the evening 
 hours 
 And I climb up the Wooden Steep. 
 
 4i 
 
The Wooden Hill is the way to bed, 
 
 To the shore of the Slumber Sea, 
 Where the Dreamship carries the 
 sleepy-head 
 
 To the foot of the dreamland tree; 
 An angel pilots the Dreamship true, 
 
 As we sail o'er the Slumber Deep, 
 And the Good Man watches the long 
 night thro', 
 
 To the end of the voyage, Sleep. 
 
 42 
 
When we reach the foot of the dreamland 
 tree 
 
 In the beautiful garden of Nod 
 On a dear little isle in the Slumber Sea, 
 
 Where we travel alone with God, 
 The angel gently shakes the good tree 
 
 In a moment of happiest bliss, 
 And down falls a sweet little dream for 
 me, 
 
 As sweet as an angel's kiss. 
 
 43 
 
A sweet little dream of a dolly with curls, 
 
 And pretty blue eyes that sleep, 
 And snowy white teeth like a string of 
 pearls, 
 
 Where the lips at the Kissing- Place 
 meet; 
 A wee dolly coach and a tiny gold ring, 
 
 A wee dolly cradle and bed,— 
 The sweet little dream lets fall ever 'thing 
 
 And piles it all over my head. 
 
 44 
 
Oh, I love to sail on the Slumber Sea 
 
 On the Dreamship to the end, 
 With a beautiful angel to pilot me 
 
 Safe back to the shore again; 
 Back to the top of the Wooden Hill, 
 
 And down o'er the carpet flowers, 
 Where the birds hop up on the window- 
 sill, 
 
 And sing thro' the morning hours. 
 
 45 
 
THE GOBBLER 
 
 HP HE turkey gobbler's face is red, 
 He must be very warm, 
 
 And like a fan his tail is spread 
 About his haughty form. 
 
 I think it is a foolish plan 
 
 To have it in that place- 
 He can't keep cool to hold his fan 
 The wrong end from his face. 
 
 46 
 
THE SWING 
 
 I like to ride all day in a swing 
 * Under a shady tree, 
 Up in the air like a flying thing— 
 A bird or a bum'ler bee. 
 
 Back and forth like the ticky-tick-tock 
 
 Of the clock on the wall; 
 Up in the air where the sunbeams flock 
 
 And down where the rose-leaves fall. 
 
 High in the air I can see far away, 
 
 Over the hills and trees, 
 Off to the fields where the daisies gay, 
 
 Smile and nod in the breeze. 
 
 47 
 
There are the meadows far and wide, 
 Green and gold in the sun, 
 
 Where the buttercups in the clover hide, 
 And busy honey bees hum. 
 
 Where the lark hops early out of bed 
 
 With a song for the day, 
 And Bob White wakens the sleepy-head, 
 
 And the rabbit children play. 
 
 The hills where the splendid rainbows rise 
 
 And here where I swing, 
 Everywhere seems a paradise, 
 
 For God is in everything. 
 
 48 
 
SEEING THINGS 
 
 \\7HEN mamma takes me by the hand 
 ™ v And leads the way to Slumberland 
 And says, "Good night, now dearie sleep! 
 Under the counterpane I creep 
 And close my eyes, but spite of all 
 I'm seeing things upon the wall. 
 
 Hop-toads hop and skip about — 
 Eyes like glass beads bulging out, 
 Piggies squealing in my ear, 
 And a mouse} 7 nibbling near, 
 Busy bugs with buzzing wings, 
 So I can't help seeing things. 
 
 49 
 
There are anermals at me 
 If I wake or sleep, you see: 
 When I have a cold, suppose, 
 Why, a bug is up my nose; 
 When I am a little hoarse- 
 Frog is in my throat, o' course. 
 
 There are piggies at my toes, 
 
 How they got there, goodness knows! 
 
 And when mamma combs my hair, 
 
 Sure enough a mousey 's there, 
 
 Or get my bath, why, I declare, 
 
 Then I'm a little baby bare. 
 
 5o 
 
So I can't help seeing things, 
 Busy bugs with buzzing wings, 
 And all the anermals that whirl 
 Around a teeny-weeny girl, 
 When mamma takes me by the hand 
 And leads the way to Slumberland. 
 
 5i 
 
THE MOON 
 
 HP HEY say the moon is made of cheese., 
 
 It is so round and yellow, 
 
 And there'samanupinthe moon, 
 
 And he's a busy fellow. 
 
 Ife cuts the cheese a quarter slice, 
 And sometimes half the ball, 
 
 And when the moon cannot be seen 
 I guess the cheese is all. 
 
 5* 
 
MAMMA'S MISTAKE 
 
 I'M sure there's only one of me, 
 
 As anyone can plainly see, 
 And yet of all the queerest things 
 I sometimes think I'm re'ly twins. 
 
 For I'm a "good girl" when I do 
 Whatever mamma tells me to, 
 But if some mischief I get at 
 I am a "naughty girl" for that. 
 
 I think there must be some mistake, 
 If mamma will in-ves-ti-gate; 
 A good and naughty girl to be 
 Is too much to expect of me. 
 
 53 
 
For once I saw a little lass 
 Peep out of our looking-glass, 
 And always ready to begin 
 A-peeping out when I peeped in. 
 
 And she was looking just like me- 
 As near alike as twins can be, 
 And mamma couldn't tell for true 
 The difference between us two. 
 
 But I'M the "good girl" mamma has; 
 The "naughty girl" is in the glass; 
 And there is only one of me 
 As anyone can plainly see. 
 
 54 
 
THE TELL-TALE BIRDIE 
 
 'T^HERE are birds that come and swing 
 
 On onr apple-tree and sing, 
 And fly away and never own 
 A spot 'at's re'ly truly home. 
 
 But there's a birdie I believe, 
 'At hasn't time at all to leave, 
 And never sings on bush or tree, 
 It's just too busy watching me. 
 
 For once I broke my dolly's head 
 To see her brains, and then in dread 
 I told mamma. She said : "I know- 
 A little birdie told me so." 
 
 55 
 
And once I took some cookies sweet 
 To see if they were good to eat, 
 But mamma, sure enough, would know- 
 The little birdie told her so. 
 
 When I upset the ink she knew— 
 The little birdie told her too; 
 No matter what I do, you see, 
 The little birdie tells on me. 
 
 It's ever 'where, in ever 'thing, 
 But I have never heard it sing, 
 And I can't see it's any use- 
 It's such a simple little goose. 
 
 56 
 
GRAN'PA 
 
 ]fyl Y Gran 'pa's good as he can be; 
 * ' *■ When he takes me on his knee 
 He hunts my funny-bone and shows 
 Where the Tickle- Berry grows 
 And the "Ha! Ha!" laughs come from: 
 We have, O, such jolly fun— 
 He forgets those aches o' his; 
 An' how old he re'lv is. 
 
 57 
 
Very, very long ago, 
 Gran 'pa was a boy, 3^ou know; 
 Just a little child like me, 
 On his angel mamma's knee; 
 An' he 'members, so to say, 
 Like it had been yesterday, 
 Laughs and whistles now as then- 
 Happy as a boy again. 
 
 53 
 
Yes, o' course he's bent a bit 
 In his back, but proud of it: 
 There he carried all the load 
 All along the weary road, 
 An' his head will soon or late 
 Be frosted like a picnic cake, 
 While he carries, where he goes, 
 Little windows on his nose. 
 
 59 
 
But 'ndeed all gran'pas they 
 Allers look just thataway, 
 An' their wrinkles only show 
 Dimples of the Long Ago; 
 For my Gran 'pa ain't forgot 
 Funny-bone or kissing- spot, 
 Or sugar mouth 'at used to be, 
 When he takes me on his knee. 
 
 60 
 
BED-TIME IN FAIRYLAND 
 
 AT night when all the stars are out 
 And twinkle up on high, 
 The little fairies are about 
 
 And tiptoe through the sky. 
 
 All wrapped in their blue nighties they 
 
 Go toddling overhead: 
 With starry lamps to show the way 
 
 The fairies go to bed. 
 
 61 
 
PUSSY MK-OW 
 
 /"\NCE on a time a pussy-cat 
 ^^ With fur as fine as silk, 
 And black as papa's Sunday hat 
 Hungry on our doorstep sat 
 
 And cried "Me-ow !" for milk. 
 
 A naughty dog a-sneaking came 
 
 And made a ' ' Bow-wow-wow ! 
 And shook her— wasn't it a shame ?- 
 Until she had to "ouch" for pain,— 
 It was an awful row. 
 
 62 
 
And pussy-cat is scary now 
 
 When doggies sneak and crouch; 
 And when she hears a "bow- wow- wow" 
 She never cries "Me-ow! Me-ow!" 
 But just "Me-ouch! Me-ouch!" 
 
 63 
 
MARY ANN 
 
 JVl Y dolly's name is Mary Ann 
 
 But she don't seem to know. 
 And I can't make her understand— 
 She learns so ter'ble slow. 
 
 I try to teach her ev'ry day 
 
 But she'll just sit and stare 
 
 And never mind, as if to say 
 She doesn't even care. 
 
 She can't be coaxed by any plan 
 To use her little tongue; — 
 
 I re'ly think that Mary Ann- 
 She must be deaf and dumb. 
 
 6 4 
 
BUILDING BLOCKS 
 
 I have a box 
 
 * Of wooden blocks 
 Of ev'ry shape and size, 
 
 And these I pile 
 
 In ev'ry style, 
 And so my houses rise. 
 
 Without a tool 
 
 I build a school, 
 A factory, and then 
 
 A church, a store, 
 
 Upon the floor, 
 And tear them down again. 
 
 65 
 
A bank, a shop — 
 
 I never stop 
 Till I have built a town; 
 
 It is such fun, 
 
 As one by one, 
 I make them tumble down. 
 
 I build a boat 
 
 And let it float 
 Upon the carpet sea, 
 
 And, tempest-tossed, 
 
 The boat is lost, 
 And left a wreck by me. 
 
 66 
 
And next a barn 
 
 Upon a farm, 
 All filled with grain and hay; 
 
 A house beside, 
 
 With porches wide, 
 I build and tear away. 
 
 And temples fair 
 
 I build with care, 
 And palaces for kings, 
 
 But one and all 
 
 Must surely fall, 
 For they are fleeting things. 
 
 67 
 
And castles grand 
 At my command 
 
 Fall into ruins quite. 
 I never knew 
 Before, did you,— 
 
 I had such awful might ? 
 
 68 
 
LITTLE HOUSEKEEPER 
 
 'IT HIS little mouth is like a door 
 And always in good trim, 
 
 Where ev'ry word I say ccmes out 
 And sugar lumps go in. 
 
 These little eyes are clear as glass 
 Like windows in my head, 
 
 Where I look out and see the sun 
 When I wake up in bed. 
 
 This little nose seems very like 
 
 A little chimney top, 
 Where smoke comes out on frosty days 
 
 Like at our coffee-pot. 
 
 6 9 
 
The. c e little ears, as you can see, 
 
 Are shutters on the side, 
 Sometimes I keep them shut up tight 
 And sometimes open wide. 
 
 Indeed I am so like a house 
 
 I couldn't tell this minute, 
 
 If I'm a little house or just 
 
 The little girl within it. 
 
 But while I live I want to keep 
 
 The house in sweetest beauty, 
 
 And in good order, 'cause it is 
 
 A true housekeeper's duty. 
 
 /O 
 
SLEEPY-HEAD 
 
 O OMETIMES I am so tired it seems 
 
 *^ I can't hold up my head, 
 
 For when it's loaded down with dreams 
 
 It's like a lump o' lead; 
 And when the drowsy mists arise 
 Across the Dreamland evening skies, 
 Down go the curtains of my eyes, 
 
 And I must go to bed. 
 
 7i 
 
I have to nod and stretch, oh hum! 
 
 And stretch and nod again, 
 And pray but almost say "oh hum" 
 
 Where I should say "Amen!" 
 And then I'm snugly tucked in bed, 
 
 A tired little sleepy head, 
 And wonder what the Sandman said 
 
 Until I wake again, 
 
 72 
 
MAKE BEUEVE 
 
 OOMETlMESit seems too long to wait 
 ^^ Until I grow up big and great 
 Like folks who pass along the street 
 And bow politely when they meet, 
 But then I never stop to grieve, 
 I straightway go to Make Believe— 
 The dearest place, where in a wink 
 I change as quick as I can think. 
 
 73 
 
In Make Believe I have no curls 
 But comb my hair like grown up girls, 
 Nor wear short dresses anymore 
 But gowns that trail across the floor, 
 And wear a great big posy hat 
 With feathers, lace and ribbons at, 
 For then I make believe, you see, 
 I am a lady 'stead of me. 
 
 74 
 
GRAN'MA 
 
 f"AEAR old Gran 'ma allers makes 
 *^The bestest kind of little cakes, 
 Ginger dollies, anermals too, 
 Doughnuts 'at have peep-holes through, 
 An' biscuit hearts for me to break, 
 All for my unworthy sake. 
 
 An' when I go to Gran 'ma's she 
 Keeps those goodies all for me; 
 She is so very good and kind 
 I'm sure it would be hard to find 
 In all the round of childhood bliss 
 A sweetheart like my Gran'ma is. 
 
 75 
 
She leads me gently by the hand 
 All thro' the garden Posy L,and 
 Where pinks like painted pictures grow 
 A re'ly royal beauty show; 
 And then our homeward way we take, 
 Back to the pleasant Land o' Cake. 
 
 There snug in Gran 'ma's lap to be 
 Is happiness enough for me; 
 Close by the open sugar bowl, 
 Her loving arms about me fold, 
 And in her comfy rocking chair 
 We rock and ride 'most ever 'where. 
 
 7<5 
 
Sometimes we take a rocking trip 
 And fancy we are on a ship, 
 With Gran 'ma captain, as it were, 
 And me the only passenger; 
 Or fancy it's a railroad train, 
 That brings us safely home again. 
 
 Safe home where little ginger men 
 And ladies welcome me again; 
 No sweeter place I've ever known 
 Than just the Land o' Cake alone, 
 And there I kiss and crown Gran 'ma 
 The goody goody queen of all. 
 
 77 
 
SUMMER LAND 
 
 IN Summer Land I like to be 
 * Underneath the apple tree 
 Which makes a cooling shade for all, 
 Just like a great big parasol. 
 
 High in its branches, sweet and cool, 
 The birds are having singing school, 
 And serenade the feathered pair 
 About to start housekeeping there. 
 
 And all around the flowers bloom 
 To please the happy bride and groom, 
 And Summer Land is sweeter far 
 Than any other countries are. 
 
 73 
 
Along the garden walk I see 
 Sweet posy children smile at me, 
 With dainty colored dresses on 
 And bright-eyed faces, everyone. 
 
 There little Pansy lifts her head 
 And wakes up from her garden-bed 
 And Daisy proudly longs to wear 
 The Lady Slippers growing there. 
 
 There bugs and butterflies are found 
 And there the bum'ler bee comes 'round 
 And gives Miss Hollyhock a hug 
 And fills his honey- 'lasses jug. 
 
 79 
 
But all along the busy street 
 We feel the burning Summer heat 
 And when the breezes blow there flies 
 The dust like pepper in my eyes. 
 
 The tears come rolling off my nose 
 And oozing out from head to toes 
 As if I leaked from every pore 
 And couldn't stop it anymore. 
 
 80 
 
GRUMBLE ALLEY 
 
 THE little girls and little boys 
 Who just keep looking sweet, 
 And play content with dolls and toys, 
 
 All live on Happy Street; 
 But those who pout and those who frown 
 
 And all their passion rally, 
 Live in a cheerless part of town, 
 In gloomy Grumble Alley. 
 
 81 
 
It's nice to be on Happy Street, 
 
 Where smiling children play, 
 And where their little playmates meet 
 
 To laugh their cares away; 
 For there the little hearts are light 
 
 And make the glad earth ring, 
 When girls and boys with faces bright 
 
 The songs of childhood sing. 
 
 82 
 
But once when I was pouting so 
 
 And would' nt even kiss, 
 They said at last they learned to know 
 
 A Grumble Alley miss. 
 And now I try with all my heart 
 
 To just keep looking sweet, 
 And laugh and smile and never part 
 
 From sunny Happy Street, 
 
 33 
 
THE SHADOW 
 
 A T night when our lamp is lit 
 '^^And I come in to play a bit 
 Alone with dolly, all at once 
 A funny Little Black Man comes. 
 
 Sometimes he follows me around, 
 Or goes ahead, without a sound: 
 So quietly, I never hear 
 The Little Black Man tiptoe near. 
 
 Across the carpet, up the wall, 
 He 6tretches like a giant tall, 
 Till I am 'most afraid that he 
 Might catch a little girl like me. 
 
 84 
 
But when I go right close to him 
 He shrinks until he's short and thin. 
 Just like a Lil-li-pu-ti-an,— 
 A teeny-weeny Shadow Man. 
 
 And when I walk away he steals 
 In silence closely at my heels, 
 Or if I turn, to my surprise, 
 Flat on the floor my shadow lies. 
 
 I've tried to chase him from the room, 
 And sweep him up with mamma's broom, 
 But he won't go a step for me 
 Unless I go along, you see, 
 
 85 
 
He never seems to mind at all, 
 But creeps up close against the wall, 
 And like a naughty boy he stands 
 And mocks me when I raise my hands. 
 
 And if I try to catch him there 
 It seems he isn't any where; 
 I think it very strange and queer, 
 For he will always disappear. 
 
 And when the lamp is out at night, 
 He's always somewhere out of sight. 
 Now I would re'ly like to know- 
 Where does the Little Black Man go ? 
 
 86 
 
'ANTA C'AUS 
 
 TPHERE is a jolly Wonder Man 
 * All dressed in furry clothes, 
 With milky, silky whiskers and 
 
 A bumpy bunch of nose; 
 And ev'ry Chris 'mas Eve he comes 
 With dolls an' trumpets, books an' drums, 
 Fast from the frozen Far-Aw^y, 
 A-riding on a reindeer sleigh. 
 
 87 
 
He allers comes at night because 
 
 It's then we dream anew 
 Of toys and dolls, and 'Anta C'aus 
 
 He makes the dreams come true. 
 And so when mamma's locking up 
 I hang my little stocking up, 
 And toddle off to bed, — the sweet 
 Dream-heaven of the Land of Sleep. 
 
 88 
 
And then a-bounding o'er the snow 
 
 He comes with gifts galore; 
 He's loaded down with bundles so 
 
 He can't get through the door; 
 But he don't mind and, smiling droll, 
 He squeezes down the chimney-hole, 
 Unpacks his wonder bundle — then 
 Just like a wink he's off again. 
 
 89 
 
And when I wake, behold I see 
 
 What 'Anta C'aus has done,— 
 A toyful, joyful Christmas Tree 
 He hung my dreams upon. 
 And papa laughs and mamma she- 
 She just smiles and watches me, 
 To see me clap my hands because 
 I'm so glad for 'Anta C'aus. 
 
 90 
 
PART II 
 
THE LITTLE CRIB 
 
 TT^HE little crib is a sweet retreat 
 * At the end of a busy day, 
 Where the tired little hands and feet 
 
 Are tenderly tucked away; 
 A downy nest of dreamy rest 
 
 Where the slumber shadow creeps 
 And angels fair keep watchful care 
 
 While our little darling sleeps. 
 
 93 
 
There the little song of the happy day 
 
 Is hushed in the silent dark, 
 To be heard again in a roundelay 
 
 With the song of the morning lark; 
 And the roses creep o'er the dimpled 
 cheek 
 
 On the pillow snowy white, 
 Like the perfect bliss of a perfumed kiss, 
 
 When our darling says ' 'Good-night! ' ' 
 
 94 
 
Not all the gold of the richest mine, 
 
 Where the treasures of earth are hid, 
 Would I take in exchange for the babe 
 divine, 
 
 That rests in the little crib; 
 Wealth, fame, renown, or kingly crown, 
 
 Lord over land or sea — 
 In none of them lies so rich a prize 
 
 As the little crib holds for me. 
 
 95 
 
When shadows of doubt encompass me 
 
 And I falter beneath the rod, 
 I look in the wee little crib and see 
 
 The true living witness of God,— 
 My sweet little child, pure, undefiled, 
 
 With the innocent angel face, 
 Like a halo cast till the room at last 
 
 Seems a holy, heavenly place. 
 
 5 6 
 
Oh, empty and vain are the honors of 
 earth, 
 And false all its glittering gold ! 
 The God-given treasure of infinite worth 
 
 Is this sweet little innocent soul,— 
 The dear little dove of the homeland of 
 love, 
 In soft downy pillows half hid,— 
 Naught else can compare with my one 
 treasure there — 
 My darling asleep in the crib. 
 
 97 
 
SLUMBER SONG 
 
 ^LEEP, my weary dearie, sleep, 
 *^ Sailing o'er the Dreamy Deep, 
 This thy bed — the good ship Rest, 
 Takes thee on a peaceful quest; 
 With thy sail of counterpane, 
 Thou shalt ride the By-low Main, 
 Blissful voyage then, my sweet, 
 Sleep, my bonny baby, sleep ! 
 
 9 8 
 
Where the silent water flows 
 Thou shalt rest in sweet repose, 
 While along the star-lit sky 
 Floats the Night-wind's lullaby; 
 Sweetly borne to rosy rest, 
 In thy cosy little nest, 
 Sailing, sailing o'er the deep, 
 Sleep, my bonny baby, sleep ! 
 
 99 
 
Let the good ship sail away 
 To another happy day, 
 O'er the peaceful waters borne 
 To the sunny hills of morn ! 
 I'll be waiting for thee when 
 Thou shalt anchor here again; 
 All my love for thee I keep, 
 Sleep, my weary dearie, sleep ! 
 
 IOO 
 
HOME-MADE ROYALTY 
 
 /^UR home a little kingdom is, 
 v ^ Its coronation was the scene 
 
 Of Love investing mamma queen, 
 Anointed by our baby's kiss; 
 But she was prone to abdicate, 
 
 And made love's sweet surrender 
 there, 
 
 To baby in the high chair where 
 The heir- apparent reigns in state. 
 
 IOI 
 
PINK PIGGIES 
 
 TpEN little piggies all in a row, 
 
 * Where do the little pink piggies go? 
 They slide down the stairway and run 
 
 through the hall, 
 They climb to the pantry-shelf and 
 
 tumble over all, 
 Every hour of the day into mischief led, 
 And then at night they carry little 
 
 sleepy-head to bed. 
 
 102 
 
THE TINWARE BAND 
 
 I-f ERE conies the band on dress parade 
 
 * A-marching up the street, 
 Now we'll have a serenade, 
 
 A tuneful tinware treat. 
 
 See them march like soldier men, 
 How they keep in line,— 
 
 Up the street and down again, 
 All performing fine! 
 
 To the tin-horn's "toot-a-toot !" 
 
 Merrily they come, 
 With a dipper-handle flute, 
 
 And a dish-pan drum. 
 
 103 
 
Bessie bears the banner high, 
 Mounted on a broom; 
 
 Willie blows his bellows dry, 
 Getting into tune. 
 
 Georgie opes his mouth a space 
 Very like a tunnel, 
 
 Sounding deep to lower bass 
 
 Through a spacious funnel. 
 
 And the way they all join in, 
 Little girls and boys, 
 
 Spite of all discordant din, 
 
 Makes a tuneful noise. 
 
 104 
 
Such a musical array 
 
 Sousa never planned, 
 
 As these little children play 
 In the Tinware Band. 
 
 BABY'S PRAYER 
 
 r\EAR Dod, b'ess teeny-weeny me; 
 *^Papa an' mamma, — 'ust us three ! 
 I p'ay thee, 'ord, my soul to keep; 
 Now I lay me down to s'eep ! 
 
 105 
 
THE LITTLE SEAMSTRESS 
 
 /~\H, dolly looks so shabby now— 
 ^^ She can't go out at all, 
 'Cause if the Rag Man saw her 
 
 I'm sure he'd want to call, 
 And although I'm very busy, 
 
 I'll straightway have to go 
 For needle, thread and thimble, 
 
 And sit right down and sew. 
 
 1 06 
 
Let's see, I'll get the fashion book 
 
 And study that a while, 
 For dolly's dresses must be made 
 
 The very latest style,— 
 With ruffles, flounces, puffs and frills, 
 
 Behindward and before,— 
 She won't need any pockets in, 
 
 She don't know what they're for. 
 
 107 
 
I won't need any pattern 
 
 Just to make a dolly dress, 
 'Twill fit her quite as well I think 
 
 To do it all by guess; 
 You simply cut the goods all up,--- 
 
 That's how it is begun, 
 Then sew it all together and — 
 
 Why, then the dress is done. 
 
 108 
 
I like to sit and sew all day, 
 
 For dolly must have clothes, 
 But mamma says my stitches 
 
 Are as long as papa's nose, 
 And then I'm quite insulted 
 
 And think I'd rather play; 
 While mamma does the sewing 
 
 So the Rag Man stays away. 
 
 09 
 
QUESTION MARK 
 
 E^ VERY evening, after dark, 
 
 *-** Comes my little "Question Mark;" 
 
 Comes and settles on my knee, 
 
 Ready to examine me; 
 
 And the questions that engage— 
 
 All-confounding fool and sage— 
 
 To unending currents grow, 
 
 Like the Puzzle River's flow, 
 
 Till at last in sheer despair, 
 
 Finding neither let nor pause, 
 Looking wise, to her I bear 
 
 This intelligence — ' 4 Because. ' ' 
 
 no 
 
4 'What gives pussy her cold nose ? 
 "Who put needles in her toes ? 
 "How far is it to the sky ? 
 "Why does not the moo-cow fly ? 
 "Where is 'Anta C'aus ?— and when, 
 "When will Chris'mas come again ? 
 "Does the clock strike with its hands? 
 "Is it going where it stands?" 
 These, and countless questions more 
 
 That perplex her childish thought, 
 Quite exhaust my meagre lore, 
 
 Suddenly come all to naught. 
 
 in 
 
Yet with every setting sun 
 Little Question Mark will come, 
 Wonder, marvel and surprise 
 Showing in her searching eyes, 
 And her questions without end 
 Take me sore to task again : 
 Why my hair is short and thin, 
 And— "'What makes the kettle sing ?' 
 Thus they come without a pause— 
 
 I can scarcely make reply 
 Till another one she draws 
 
 From her bountiful supply. 
 
 112 
 
NOAH'S ARK 
 
 TVTOAH'S Ark was safe in port 
 1 ^ And anchored high and dry 
 
 Where Toyland charms of eve^ sort 
 
 Delighted baby's eye. 
 The animals made quite a noise 
 
 As animals will do, 
 And baby, happy with her toys, 
 
 Said lustily: ''Goo-goo!" 
 
 13 
 
Just then old Noah's pussy-cat 
 
 Hopped right out thro' the door 
 And chased a naughty little rat 
 
 Pell-mell across the floor. 
 At that a wooden puppy flew 
 
 Upon the ratter's trail, 
 And barked as wooden puppies do, 
 
 And wagged his wooden tail. 
 
 114 
 
The elephant and 'potamus 
 
 The lion and the bear 
 Came out to see what's all the fuss 
 
 But baby didn't scare. 
 The horsey shied and gave a neigh 
 
 The woolly sheep said "Baa! 
 And when the mule began to bray 
 
 The baby laughed "Ha! Ha! 
 
 ii5 
 
The rooster crowed with all his might, 
 
 To hear the puppy bark; 
 The little red hen took a fright 
 
 And hid behind the ark. 
 The ducky came and said "Quack-quack! 
 
 The piggy squealed 4 'Wee-wee! 
 And baby, much amused at that, 
 
 Laughed merrily "He ! he !" 
 
 ri6 
 
The animals, excited now, 
 
 Came rushing one by one, 
 But baby quite enjoyed the row 
 
 And thought it jolly fun; 
 But when the cow with lantern eyes, 
 
 Began to bellow "Moo!" 
 It took her so much by surprise 
 
 She cried "Boo-hoo! boo-hoo! 
 
 117 
 
LITTLE SWEETHEART 
 
 \\/HO comes and meets me at the door, 
 And gives me of her precious store 
 Of love and kisses, o'er and o'er ? 
 Little Sweetheart. 
 
 Who comes and perches on my knee, 
 To ride a horse and gallop free, 
 Far, far away, and back to me ? 
 Little Sweetheart. 
 
 Who follows me with earnest looks 
 To all the pleasant little nooks 
 Throughout the Land of Story Books ? 
 Little Sweetheart. 
 
 nS 
 
Who laughs and sings the livelong day, 
 And leads me on the sunny way 
 Where love and sweet contentment stay ? 
 Little Sweetheart. 
 
 Who, tired, comes to be caressed, 
 And seeks a pillow on my breast, 
 To rest ? My Little Sweetheart. Rest, 
 Little Sweetheart. 
 
 119 
 
THE RAINBOW 
 
 TTHH rain had fallen down in showers 
 
 That almost drowned the meadow 
 
 flowers, 
 
 But when the sky began to clear 
 
 A splendid rainbow did appear; 
 
 And seeing that, in manner gay, 
 
 Wee Dorothy was heard to shout: 
 
 "They think it's Decoration Day 
 
 I see they have their bunting out." 
 
 120 
 
HAND- WRITING ON THE WALL 
 
 ^OMKBODY found a pencil,— now 
 *"^ who could that sombody be? 
 Somebody eagerly used it where nobody 
 
 else should see, 
 For here on the wall in the hallway, in 
 
 an off-hand fashion are strung 
 The most curious hieroglyphics, and all 
 
 in an unknown tongue. 
 
 121 
 
Somebody versed in letters that nobody 
 here understands 
 
 Left a mysterious message that some ex- 
 planation demands; 
 
 What are these singular symbols, these 
 labored inscriptions absurd, 
 
 As wierd as the ancient Egyptian, I can 
 not decipher a word ? 
 
 122 
 
What do those curly creations, those 
 
 fanciful flourishes mean, 
 Stopping abrupt in an angle like the 
 
 jumping -off place in a dream? 
 They cannot be Greek, Latin, Hebrew, 
 
 altho' they resemble them all; 
 Oh, who can interpret the meaning of 
 
 the hand-writing here on the 
 
 wall? 
 
 123 
 
What should we do to somebody, if some- 
 body taken to task 
 
 Should confess that the meaning was mis- 
 chief from the first sweeping 
 stroke to the last ? 
 
 Don't you think it a proper proceeding to 
 make an inviolate rule 
 
 That all mischievous hand-writing experts 
 should be sent to a sound 
 spanking school ? 
 
 124 
 
What? — somebody sobbing — you're 
 
 sorry? The cry of repentance is 
 heard , 
 
 And the tears of the penitent culprit ef- 
 face every mischievous word; 
 
 For so the good Master disposes,— who 
 his infinite love will entreat, 
 
 Find the chastening process is bitter, but 
 the joy of forgiveness is sweet. 
 
 125 
 
GOING BYE-BYE 
 
 /"JOING bye-bye!— what delight 
 ^-* To my little miss 
 
 Holding to my fingers tight, 
 
 Going bye-bye is! 
 Down to Gran 'ma's, here or there, 
 O'er the city thoroughfare, 
 Town or country, everywhere, 
 
 Going bye-bye's bliss. 
 
 126 
 
And to see her romp for joy, 
 
 A-going bye-bye 
 Thrills my heart as when a boy 
 
 I, too, went bye-bye. 
 But I fear there'll come a day, 
 Bye-bye will not sound so gay, 
 When 'twill break my heart to say, 
 
 "She's going bye-bye!" 
 
 127 
 
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