His caravan has windows two, And a chimney of tin, that the smoke comes through; He has a wife, with a baby brown, And they go riding from town to town. Chairs to mend, and delf to sell! He clashes the basins like a bell; The roads are brown, and the sea is green, With the peddler-man I should like to roam, All the people would read my book, Just like the Travels of Captain Cook! William Brighty Rands [1823-1882] MY LITTLE DOLL From "The Water Babies" I ONCE had a sweet little doll, dears, Her cheeks were so red and so white, dears, As I played in the heath one day; I found my poor little doll, dears, Folks say she is terribly changed, dears, And her arms trodden off by the cows, dears, Yet for old sakes' sake she is still, dears, The prettiest doll in the world. Charles Kingsley [1819-1875] "There Was a Jolly Miller" 155 THE JOVIAL BEGGAR THERE was a jovial beggar, he had a wooden leg, And a-begging we will go! A bag for his oatmeal, another for his salt, A bag for his wheat, another for his rye, A little bottle by his side to drink when he's a-dry. Seven years I begged for my old master Wild, I begged for my master, and got him store of pelf; In a hollow tree I live and pay no rent- Of all the occupations, a beggar's life's the best, I fear no plots against me, I live in open cell; Then who would be a king, when beggars live so well? And a-begging we will go, will go, And a-begging we will go! Unknown “THERE WAS A JOLLY MILLER" From "Love in a Village" THERE was a jolly miller once lived on the river Dee; He danced and sang from morn till night, no lark so blithe as he; And this the burden of his song forever used to be: "I care for nobody, no not I, if nobody cares for me. "I live by my mill, God bless her! she's kindred, child, and wife; I would not change my station for any other in life; When spring begins his merry career, oh, how his heart grows gay; No summer's drought alarms his fear, nor winter's cold decay; No foresight mars the miller's joy, who's wont to sing and say, "Let others toil from year to year, I live from day to day." Thus, like the miller, bold and free, let us rejoice and sing; The days of youth are made for glee, and time is on the wing; This song shall pass from me to thee, along the jovial ring; Let heart and voice and all agree to say, "Long live the king." Isaac Bickerstaff [ ? -1812?] ONE AND ONE Two little girls are better than one, Two little lips and one little chin, A Nursery Song And two little angels guard him in bed, 157 Mary Mapes Dodge [1838-1905] A NURSERY SONG OH, Peterkin Pout and Gregory Grout Are two little goblins black. Full oft from my house I've driven them out, They clamber up to the baby's mouth, They perch aloft on the baby's brow, And twist it into a frown. Chorus: And one says "Must!" and t'other says "Can't!" And one says "Shall!" and t'other says "Shan't!" Oh, Peterkin Pout and Gregory Grout, I pray you now from my house keep out! But Samuel Smile and Lemuel Laugh Are two little fairies bright; They're always ready for fun and chaff, And sunshine is their delight. And when they creep into Baby's eyes, Why, there the sunbeams are; And when they peep through her rosy lips, Her laughter rings near and far. Chorus: And one says "Please!" and t'other says "Do!" Laura E. Richards [1850 A MORTIFYING MISTAKE I STUDIED my tables over and over, and backward and forward, too; But I couldn't remember six times nine, and I didn't know what to do, Till sister told me to play with my doll, and not to bother my head. "If you call her 'Fifty-four' for a while, you'll learn it by heart," she said. So I took my favorite, Mary Ann (though I thought 'twas a dreadful shame To give such a perfectly lovely child such a perfectly horrid name), And I called her my dear little "Fifty-four" a hundred times, till I knew The answer of six times nine as weil as the answer of two times two. Next day Elizabeth Wigglesworth, who always acts so proud, Said, "Six times nine is fifty-two," and I nearly laughed aloud! But I wished I hadn't when teacher said, "Now, Dorothy, tell if you can." For I thought of my doll and—sakes alive!—I answered, "Mary Ann!" Anna Maria Pratt [18 THE RAGGEDY MAN O THE Raggedy Man! He works fer Pa; An' waters the horses, an' feeds 'em hay; |