~ ~/Il (<~ ~ , C i yr (~ I i.4 Riley -Childe By Whitcomb Riley by Ethel Franklin Betts First Series Indianapolis The Bobbs-Merrill Company Publishers V~erse With Pictures Juvernilt Collection Copyright I887, I888, I890, I892, I898, I900, I903, 1906 By JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY All rights reserved. I <~ —, \~ To 7'he Children of The Old 7imes and of These With changeless love THE RAGGEDY MAN THE RAGGEDY MAN!' He works fer Pa; An' he's the goodest man ever you saw! He comes to our house every day, An' waters the horses, an' feeds'em hay; An' he opens the shed-an' we all ist laugh When he drives out our 1-ittle old wobble-ly calf; An' nen ef our hired girl says he can He milks the cow fer'Lizabuth Ann. Ain't he a' awful good Raggedy Man? Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man! 17 ilil!, \W'y, The Raggedy Man-he's ist so good He splits the kindlin' an' chops the wood; An' nen he spades in our garden, too, An' does most things'at boys can't do!He clumbed clean up in our big tree An' shooked a' apple down fer meAn' nother'n', too, fer'Lizabuth AnnAn' nother'n', too, fer The Raggedy Man. Ain't he a' awful kind Raggedy Man? Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man! An' The Raggedy Man, he knows most rhymes An' tells'em, ef I be good, sometimes: Knows'bout Giunts, an' Griffuns, an' Elves, An' the Squidgicum-Squees'at swallers therselvesl An', wite by the pump in our pasture-lot, He showed me the hole'at the Wunks is got, 'At lives'way deep in the ground, an' can Turn into me, er'Lizabuth Ann, Er Ma er Pa er The Raggedy Man! Ain't he a funny old Raggedy Man? Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man! I 8 ., I I The Raggedy Man-one time when he Wuz makin' a littlebow-'n'-orry fer me, Says "When you're big like your Pa is, Air you go' to keep a fine store like hisAn' be a rich merchunt an' wear fine clothes? Er what air you go' to be, goodness knows!" An' nen he laughed at'Lizabuth Ann, An' I says "'M go' to be a Raggedy Man! I'm ist go' to be a nice Raggedy Man!" Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man! 2I / A SUDDEN SHOWER AREFOOTED boys scud up the street, Or skurry under sheltering sheds; And schoolgirl faces, pale and sweet, Gleam from the shawls about their heads. Doors bang; and mother-voices call From alien homes; and rusty gates Are slammed; and high above it all, The thunder grim reverberates. And then, abrupt,-the rain! the rain! The earth lies gasping; and the eyes Behind the streaming window-pane Smile at the trouble of the skies. 22 t The highway smokes; sharp echoes ring; The cattle bawl and cowbells clank; And into town comes galloping The farmer's horse, with steaming flank. The swallow dips beneath the eaves, And flirts his plumes and folds his wings; And under the catawba leaves The caterpillar curls and clings. The bumble-bee is pelted down The wet stem of the hollyhock; And sullenly, in spattered brown, The cricket leaps the garden walk. Within, the baby claps his hands And crows with rapture strange and vague; Without, beneath the rosebush stands A dripping rooster on one leg. 25 CHRISTINE'S SONG UP in Tentoleena Land 11 ~Tentoleena! Tentoleena! All the Dollies, hand in hand, Mina, Nainie, and Serena, Dance the Fairy fancy dances, With glad songs and starry glances, Lisping roundelays; and, after, Bird-like interludes of laughter Strewn and scattered o'er the lawn Their gilt sandals twinkle on Through light mists of silver sand Up in Tentoleena Land. 26 l Up in Tentoleena Land Tentoleena! Tentoleena! Blares the eerie Elfin band Trumpet, harp and concertinaLarkspur bugle-honeysuckle Cornet, with a quickstep chuckle In its golden throat; and, maybe, Lilies-of-the-valley they be Baby-silver-bells that chime Musically all the time, Tossed about from hand to hand Up in Tentoleena Land Up in Tentoleena Land Tentoleena! Tentoleena! Dollies dark, and blonde and bland Sweet as musk-rose or verbenaSweet as moon-blown daffodillies, Or wave-jostled water-lilies, Yearning to'rd the rose-mouths, ready Leaning o'er the river's eddy,Dance, and glancing fling to you, Through these lines you listen to, Kisses blown from lip and hand Out of Tentoleena Land! 27 THE LISPER LSIE MINGUS lisps, she does! She lives wite acrosst from us mIn Miz. Ayers'uz house'at she Rents part to the Mingusuz. Yes, an' Elsie plays wiv me. Elsie lisps so, she can't say Her own name, ist anyway! She says "Elthy"-like they wuz Feathers on her words, an' they Ist stick on her tongue like fuzz. My! she's purty, though!-An' when She lisps, w'y, she's purty nen! When she telled me, wunst, her doll Wuz so "thweet," an' I p'ten' I lisp, too,-she laugh'-'at's all! 28 F <; Y<~ ~~' I She don't never git mad none'Cause she know I'm ist in fun. Elsie she ain't one bit sp'iled.Of all childerns-ever' one She's the ladylikest child! My Ma say she is! One time Elsie start to say the rhyme, "Thing a thong o' thixpenth"-JFhee! I ist yell/ An' Ma say I'm Unpolite as I can be! Wunst I went wiv Ma to call On Elsie's Ma, an' eat an' all; An' nen Elsie, when we've et, An' we're playin' in the hall, Elsie say: It's etikett Fer young gentlemens, like Eatin' when they's company, Not to never ever crowd Down their food, ner "thip Ner thup thoop so awful 31 their tea loud!" MAX AND JIM MAX an' Jim, They're each other's Fat an' slim Little brothers. Max is thin, An' Jim, Fat ag'in As little the fac's is, Their Pa'lowed He don't know whuther He's most proud Of one er th'other! Their Ma says They're both That she guess She'll haf to so sweet-'m! 32 THE MAN IN THE MOON AID The Raggedy Man, on a hot afternoon: My! Sakes! What a lot o' mistakes Some little folks makes on The Man in the Moon! But people that's be'n up to see him, like me, And calls on him frequent and intimuttly, Might drop a few facts that would interest you Clean! Through! If you wanted'em to Some actual facts that might interest you! 33 O The Mian in the Moon has a crick in his back; Whee! Whimm! Ain't you sorry for him? And a mole on his nose that is purple and black; And his eyes are so weak that they water and run If he dares to dream even he looks at the sun,So he jes dreams of stars, as the doctors advise My! Eyes! But isn't he wiseTo jes dream of stars, as the doctors advise? And The Man in the Moon has a boil on his ear Whee! Whing! What a singular thing! I know! but these facts are authentic, my dear,There's a boil on his ear; and a corn on his chinHe calls it a dimple-but dimples stick inYet it might be a dimple turned over, you know! Whang! Ho! Why, certainly so!It might be a dimple turned over, you know! 34 And The MIan in the Moon has a rheumatic knee Gee! Whizz! What a pity that is! And his toes have worked round where his heels ought to be.So whenever he wants to go North he goes South, And comes back with porridge-crumbs all round his mouth, And he brushes them off with a Japanese fan, Whing! Whann! What a marvellous man! Wrhat a very remarkably marvellous man! 'N' The MIan in the Moon, sighed The Raggedy Man, Gits! So! Sullonesome, you know,Up there by hisse'f sence creation began!That when I call on him and then come away, Hie grabs me and holds me and begs me to stay,Till IFell! if it wasn't fer Jimmy-cum-jinm, Dadd! Limb! I'd go pardners with himJes jump my job here and be pardners with him! 3'7 THE FUNNIEST THING IN THE WORLD HE funniest thing in the world, I know, Is watchin' the monkeys'at's in the show! Jumpin' an' runnin' an' racin' roun', 'Way up the top o' the pole; nen down! First they're here, an' nen they're there, An' ist a'most any an' ever'where!Screechin' an' scratchin' wherever they go, They're the funniesf thing in the world, I know! They're the funniest thing in the wo Funny to watch'em eat an' drink; Funny to watch'em a-watchin' us, An' actin''most like grown folks do Funny to watch'em p'tend to be Skeerd at their tail'at they happen But the funniest thing in the world Is never to laugh, like me an' you! 38 I think: to see;they do SOME SCATTERING REMARKS OF BUB'S W ~UNST I tooked our pepper-box lid An' cut little pie-dough biscuits, I did, An' cooked'em on our stove one day When our hired girl she said I may. Honey's the goodest thing-Oo-ooh! An' blackburry-pies is goodest, too! But wite hot biscuits, ist soakin' wet Wiv tree-mullasus, is goodest yet! Miss Maimie she's my Ma's friend,-an' She's purtiest girl in all the lan'!An' sweetest smile an' voice an' faceAn' eyes ist looks like p'serves tas'e! I ruther go to the Circus-show; But,'cause my parunts told me so, I ruther go to the Sund'y School, 'Cause there I learn the goldun rule. Say, Pa,-what is the goldun rule 'At's allus at the Sund'y School? 39 ALMOST BEYOND ENDURANCE I pAIN'T a-goin' to cry no more no more! I'm got ear-ache, an' Ma can't make It quit a-tall; An' Carlo bite my rubber-ball An' puncture it; an' Sis she take An' poke' my knife down through the stable-floor An' loozed it-blame it all! But I ain't goin' to cry no more no morel An' Aunt Mame wrote she's comin', an' she can't Folks is come there! An' I don't care She is my Aunt! An' my eyes stings; an' I'm Ist coughin' all the time, An' hurts me so, an' where my side's so sore Grampa felt where, an' he Says "Mayby it's pleurasy!" But I ain't goin' to cry no more no more! 40 An' I clumbed up an' nen failed off the fence, An' Herbert he ist laugh at me! An' my fi'-cents It sticked in my tin bank, an' I ist tore Purt'-nigh my thumbnail off, a-tryin' to git It out-nen smash it! An' it's in there yit! But I ain't goin' to cry no more no more! Oo! I'm so wickud! An' my breath's so hot Ist like I run an' don't res' none But ist run on when I ought to not; Yes, an' my chin An' lips's all warpy, an' teeth's so fast, An''s a place in my throat I can't swaller past An' they all hurt so! An' oh, my-oh! I'm a-startin' ag'inI'm a-startin' ag'in, but I qlon't, fer shore! I ist ain't goin' to cry no more no more! I 43 j ;jj HER LONESOMENESS -W HEN little Elizabeth whispers Her morning-love to me, Each word of the little lisper's, As she clambers on my knee Hugs me and whispers, "Mommy, Oh, I'm so glad it's day And the night's all gone away!" How it does thrill and awe me, "The night's all gone away!" "Sometimes I wake, all listenin'," She sighs, "and all's so still!The moon and the stars half-glistenin' Over the window-sill;And I look where the gas's pale light Is all turned down in the hall And you ain't here at all!And oh, how I wish it was daylight! -And you ain't here at all! 44 II I. "And oh," she goes eerily whining And laughing, too, as she speaks, "If only the sun kept shining For weeks and weeks and weeks! For the world's so dark, without you, And the moon's turned down so low'Way in the night, you know,And I get so lonesome about you! 'Way in the night, you know!" 45 THE PIXY PEOPLE IT was just a very Merry fairy dream! All the woods were airy With the gloom and gleam; Crickets in the clover Clattered clear and strong, And the bees droned over Their old honey-song. In the mossy passes, Saucy grasshoppers Leapt about the grasses And the thistle-burs; And the whispered chuckle Of the katydid Shook the honeysuckle Blossoms where he hid. 46 Through the breezy mazes Of the lazy June, Drowsy with the hazes Of the dreamy noon, Little Pixy people Winged above the walk, Pouring from the steeple Of a mullein-stalk. One-a gallant fellow Evidently King,Wore a plume of yellow In a jewelled ring On a pansy bonnet, Gold and white and blue, With the dew still on it, And the fragrance, too. One-a dainty lady Evidently Queen,Wore a gown of shady Moonshine and green, With a lace of gleaming Starlight that sent All the dewdrops dreaming Everywhere she went. 49 One wore a waistcoat Of roseleaves, out and in, And one wore a faced-coat Of tiger-lily-skin; And one wore a neat coat Of palest galingale; And one a tiny street-coat, And one a swallow-tail. And Ho! sang the King of them And Hey! sang the Queen; And round and round the ring of them Went dancing o'er the green; And Hey! sang the Queen of them, And Ho! sang the KingAnd all that I had seen of them Wasn't anything! It was just a very MIerry fairy dream!All the woods were airy With the gloom and gleam; Crickets in the clover Clattered clear and strong, And the bees droned over Their old honey-song! 5so 1 AN IMPETUOUS RESOLVE W ~HEN little Dickie Swope's a man, He's go' to be a Sailor; An' little Hamey Tincher, he's A-go' to be a Tailor: Bud Mitchell, he's a-go' to be A stylish Carriage-Maker; An' when I grow a grea'-big man, I'm go' to be a Baker! An' Dick'll buy his sailor-suit O' Hame; an' Hame'll take it An' buy as fine a double-rig As ever Bud kin make it: An' nen all three'll drive roun' fer me, An' we'll drive off togevver, A-slingin' pie-crust'long the road Ferever an' ferever! 5 I GRANNY RANNY'S come to our house, And ho! my lawzy-daisy! All the childern round the place Is ist a-runnin' crazy! Fetched a cake fer little Jake, And fetched a pie fer Nanny, And fetched a pear fer all the pack That runs to kiss their Granny! Lucy Ellen's in her lap, And Wade and Silas-Walker Both's a-ridin' on her foot, And Pollos on the rocker; And Mlarthy's twins, from Aunt Marinn's, And little Orphant Annie, All's a-eatin' gingerbread And giggle-un at Granny! 52 - 1 — >; —--— ~ ~~~~~~ Tells us all the fairy tales Ever thought er wunderedAnd'bundance o' other stories Bet she knows a hunderd!Bob's the one fer "Whittington," And "Golden Locks" fer Fanny! Hear'em laugh and clap their hands, Listenun' at Granny! "Jack the Giant-Killer"'s good; And "Bean-Stalk"'s another!So's the one of "Cinderell"' And her old godmother;That-un's best of all the rest Bestest one of any,Where the mices scampers home, Like we runs to Granny! Granny's come to our house, Ho! my lawzy-daisy! All the childern round the place Is ist a-runnin' crazy! Fetched a cake fer little Jake, And fetched a pie fer Nanny, And fetched a pear fer all the pack That runs to kiss their Granny! 55 OUR BETSY U r S childern's all so lonesome We hardly want to play Or skip or swing or anything,'Cause Betsy she's away! She's gone to see her people At her old home. But thenOh! ev'ry child'11 jist be wild When she's back here again! Then it's whoopty-doopty dooden! W~hoopty-dooden then! Oh! it's whoopty-doopty dooden, When Betsy's back again! She's like a mother to us, And like a sister, tooOh! she's as sweet.as things to eat When all the dinner's through! And hey! to hear her laughin'! And ho! to hear her sing!To have her back is all we lack Of havin' ev'rything! 56 *, Then it's whoopty-doopty dooden! Whoopty-dooden then! Oh! it's whoopty-doopty'dooden, When Betsy's back again! Oh! some may sail the northern lakes, And some to foreign lands, And some may seek old Nameless Creek, Or India's golden sands; Or some may go to Kokomo, And some to Mackinac, But I'll go down to Morgantown To fetch our Betsy back. Then it's whoopty-doopty dooden! Whoopty-dooden then! Oh! it's whoopty-doopty dooden, When Betsy's back again! LULLABY HE maple strews the embers of its leaves O'er the laggard swallows nestled'neath the eaves And the moody cricket falters in his cry Baby-bye!And the lid of night is falling o'er the sky Baby-bye!The lid of night is falling o'er the sky! The rose is lying pallid, and the cup Of the frosted calla-lily folded up; And the breezes through the garden Baby-bye!O'er the sleeping blooms of summer - Baby-bye!O'er the sleeping blooms of summer Yet, Baby-O my Baby, for your sake This heart of mine is ever wide awake, And my love may never droop a drowsy eye Baby-bye!Till your own are wet above me when I die Baby-bye!Till your own are wet above me when I die. 58 sob and sigh where they lie where they lie!