BY JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY
My mother she’s so good to me,
Ef I was good as I could be,
I couldn’t be as good—no, sir!—
Can’t any boy be good as her.
She loves me when I’m glad er sad;
She loves me when I’m good er bad;
An’, what’s a funniest thing, she says
She loves me when she punishes.
I don’t like her to punish me—
That don’t hurt—but it hurts to see
Her cryin’.—Nen I cry; an’ nen
We both cry an’ be good again.
She loves me when she cuts an’ sews
My little cloak an’ Sund’y clothes;
An’ when my Pa comes home to tea,
She loves him ’most as much as me.
She laughs an’ tells him all I said,
An’ grabs me up an’ pats my head;
An’ I hug her, an’ hug my Pa,
An’ love him purt’ nigh much as Ma.
[O] From “Rhymes of Childhood,” by James Whitcomb Riley. Copyright, 1890. Used by special permission of the publishers. The Bobbs-Merrill Company.
BY ROSE FYLEMAN
When mother comes each morning
She wears her oldest things,
She doesn’t make a rustle,
She hasn’t any rings;
She says, “Good-morning, chickies,
It’s such a lovely day,
Let’s go into the garden
And have a game of play!”
When mother comes at tea-time
Her dress goes shoo-shoo-shoo,
She always has a little bag,
Sometimes a sunshade too;
She says, “I am so hoping
There’s something left for me;
Please hurry up, dear Nanna,
I’m dying for my tea.”
When mother comes at bed-time
Her evening dress she wears,
She tells us each a story
When we have said our prayers;
And if there is a party
She looks so shiny bright
It’s like a lovely fairy
Dropped in to say good-night.
Evening was falling, cold and dark,
And people hurried along the way
As if they were longing soon to mark
Their own home candle’s cheering ray.
Before me toiled in the whirling wind
A woman with bundles great and small,
And after her tugged, a step behind,
The Bundle she loved the best of all.
A dear little roly-poly boy
With rosy cheeks, and a jacket blue,
Laughing and chattering full of joy,
And here’s what he said—I tell you true:
“You’re the goodest mother that ever was.”
A voice as clear as a forest bird’s;
And I’m sure the glad young heart had cause
To utter the sweet of the lovely words.
Perhaps the woman had worked all day
Washing or scrubbing; perhaps she sewed;
I knew, by her weary footfall’s way
That life for her was an uphill road.
But here was a comfort. Children dear,
Think what a comfort you might give
To the very best friend you can have here,
The lady fair in whose house you live,
If once in a while you’d stop and say,—
In task or play for a moment pause,
And tell her in sweet and winning way,
“You’re the GOODEST mother that ever was.”
MOTHER’S WAY
BY CARRIE WILLIAMS
Nowadays girls go to cooking-school
And learn to cook just so by rule;
But all I know, I’m glad to say,
My mother taught me day by day.
She did not need a great cook-book;
She knew how much and what it took
To make things good and sweet and light.
What Mother does is always right.
BY ETHEL M. KELLEY
Whose hair is all curly, an’ eyes “baby-blue”?
Who wakes up too early ’fore night-time is fru?
Who dresses her pillow all up in the clo’es,
An’ counts all her piggies when nobody knows?
An’ who’s des’ as quiet as quiet can be?
Muvver says—me.
Who w’ites wif a pencil all over a book?
An’ who gets the ink when nobody does look?
An’ who gets her fingies all blacker than black?
An’ who gets ’em spatted when Muvver comes back?
An’ who’s des’ as sorry as sorry can be?
Muvver says—me.
Who goes down to dinner on Sundays at two,
All dressed in w’ite frillies, an’ tied up in blue?
An’ who waits for Father to cut up her meat,
When she is so hungry an’ nuffin’ to eat?
An’ who’s des’ as “patient” as “patient” can be?
Muvver says—me.
Who gets on her nightie an’ says all her prayers?
An’ then comes a-stealin’ an’ creepin’ down-stairs?
Who cuddles up comfy an’ teases to stay?
An’ who is so spoiled ’at she won’t go away,
Even when she’s as sleepy as sleepy can be?
Muvver says—me.
BY MIRIAM S. CLARK
My dearest is a lady, she wears a gown of blue,
She sits beside the window where the yellow sun comes through;
The light is shining on her hair, and all the time she sews,
She sings a song about a knight, a dear, brave knight she knows.
My dearest is a lady—and oh, I love her well!
Full five and twenty times a day this very tale I tell;
For I’m the knight in armor, a shield and sword I wear,
And Mother is my lady, with the light upon her hair.
How many lumps of sugar
Ought a little girl to use
To sweeten a cup of chocolate?
I can take just what I choose.
Five make it just like candy,
And four are most as good—
There’s no one to say I mustn’t,
Now I wonder if I should.
Three is what Nurse allows me,
So that would be surely right.
Uncle Jack takes two lumps always
And says it is “out of sight.”
Five, four, three, two—I wonder—
Or none, just like Papa?
Well, after all, I’ll take but one
And copy my dear Mama.
BY CLARA ODELL LYON
Says Bobby to Mother:
“I’ll be good as I can.”
“I know you will, Bobby;
You’re Mother’s little man.”
BUT—
His mother then takes every match from the box;
The door of the pantry securely she locks;
Puts the hammer and tacks, and the scissors and ink
In the best hiding places of which she can think
And wonders at last, as her hat she pins on,
What mischief her Bobby will do while she’s gone!
When people ask me where I live,
I hate to have to go and give
A name like Smithville, plain.
I’d rather say:—“Sir, if you please,
My home is in the Hebrides,”
Or, “High up in the Pyrenees,”
Or, “At Gibraltar, Spain.”
“Constantinople,” too, sounds fine,
And “Drachenfels-upon-the-Rhine,”
And “Madagascar,” too;
And “Yokohama” sounds so great,
And “Hindustan” is just first-rate;
I rather like even “Bering Strait,”
And “Cuzco” in Peru.
And yet, I would not be at night,
Alone upon the “Isle of Wight,”
Or on the “Zuyder Zee.”
At “Nova Zembla,” in a gale,
I know that I should just turn pale;
For fear of earthquakes, I should quail
In “sunny Italy.”
A place that sounds nice on the map,
May have a little too much snap
To keep within its wall,
And so, though many names I see,
That sound as stylish as can be,
There’s no place quite so good for me,
As Smithville, after all!
Blanche Elizabeth Wade.
BY HELEN A. BYROM
Grandmother sits in her easy-chair,
In the ruddy sunlight’s glow;
Her thoughts are wandering far away
In the land of Long Ago.
Again she dwells in her father’s home,
And before her loving eyes
In the light of a glorious summer day
The gray old farm-house lies.
She hears the hum of the spinning-wheel
And the spinner’s happy song;
She sees the bundles of flax that hang
From the rafters, dark and long;
She sees the sunbeams glide and dance
Across the sanded floor;
And feels on her cheek the wandering breeze
That steals through the open door.
Beyond, the flowers nod sleepily
At the well-sweep, gaunt and tall;
And up from the glen comes the musical roar
Of the distant waterfall.
The cows roam lazily to and fro
Along the shady lane;
The shouts of the reapers sound faint and far
From the fields of golden grain.
And grandma herself, a happy girl,
Stands watching the setting sun,
While the spinner rests, and the reapers cease,
And the long day’s work is done;
Then something wakes her—the room is dark,
And vanished the sunset glow,
And grandmother wakes, with a sad surprise,
From the dreams of long ago.
ometimes when I am tired of play
My mother says to me,
“Come, daughter, we will call to-day
On Great-aunt Lucy Lee.”
And soon, by mother’s side, I skip
Along the quiet street,
Where tall old trees, on either side,
Throw shadows at my feet.
The houses stand in solemn rows,
And not a child is seen;
The blinds are drawn, the doors are shut,
The walks are span and clean.
Then when we come to number three,
I stretch my hand up—so!
And find the old brass knocker’s ring;
I rap, and in we go.
There Great-aunt Lucy, small and prim,
Sits by the chimney-piece;
Her knitting-needles clicking go,
And never seem to cease.
Aunt Lucy’s eyes are blue and kind,
Her wrinkled face is fair;
She hides with cap or snowy lace
Her pretty silver hair.
Aunt Lucy’s voice is sweet and low,
Her smile is quick and bright;
She wears a gown of lavender,
And kerchief soft and white.
I fold my hands in front of me
And sit quite still and staid,
Till Great-aunt Lucy, smiling, says,
“Come hither, little maid!”
And from her silken bag she takes
A peppermint or two,
And questions me about my play,
My school, my dolls, the Zoo.
And then she rings for Hannah, who
Comes hobbling stiffly in,
With sugared cakes and jelly-tarts
Upon a shining tin.
When I have eaten all I can,
Aunt Lucy bids me go
Into the garden, where all kinds
Of lovely flowers grow.
Pale roses of a hundred leaves,
Sweet-william, four-o’clocks,
Pinks, daisies, bleeding-hearts and things
All bordered ’round with box.
And there’s an arbor, where the grapes
Hang low enough to reach;
A plum-tree just across the path,
And by the wall a peach.
And oh! I think it very nice
To come and visit here;
The house, the garden and the folks
All seem so very queer!
And though I am well satisfied
A while to romp and play,—
A wee old lady, kind and dear,
I want to be some day;
And so I hope that when I, too,
Have grown to eighty-three,
I’ll be a lovely lady like
My Great-aunt Lucy Lee.
Grandmamma sits in her quaint arm-chair—
Never was lady more sweet and fair!
Her gray locks ripple like silver shells,
And her brow its own calm story tells
Of a gentle life and a peaceful even,
A trust in God and a hope in heaven!
Little girl Mary sits rocking away
In her own low seat, like some winsome fay;
Two dolly babies her kisses share,
And another one lies by the side of her chair.
Mary is fair as the morning dew—
Cheeks of roses and ribbons of blue!
“Say, grandmamma,” says the pretty elf,
“Tell me a story about yourself.
When you were little, what did you play?
Was you good or naughty, the whole long day?
Was it hundreds and hundreds of years ago?
And what makes your soft hair as white as snow?
“Did you have a mamma to hug and kiss?
And a dolly like this, and this, and this?
Did you have a pussy like my little Kate?
Did you go to bed when the clock struck eight?
Did you have long curls and beads like mine?
And a new silk apron, with ribbons fine?”
Grandmamma smiled at the little maid,
And laying aside her knitting, she said:
“Go to my desk and a red box you’ll see;
Carefully lift it and bring it to me.”
So Mary put her dollies away and ran,
Saying, “I’ll be as careful as ever I can.”
Then grandmamma opened the box: and lo!
A beautiful child with a throat like snow,
Lips just tinted like pink shells rare,
Eyes of hazel and golden hair,
Hands all dimpled, and teeth like pearls—
Fairest and sweetest of little girls!
“Oh, who is it?” cried winsome May;
“How I wish she was here to-day!
Wouldn’t I love her like everything,
And give her my new carnelian ring!
Say, dear grandmamma, who can she be?”
“Darling,” said grandmamma, “that child was me!”
May looked along at the dimpled grace,
And then at the saint-like, fair old face,
“How funny!” she cried, with a smile and a kiss,
“To have such a dear little grandma as this!
Still,” she added, with a smiling zest,
“I think, dear grandma, I like you best!”
So May climbed on the silken knee,
And grandma told her her history—
What plays she played, what toys she had,
How at times she was naughty, or good, or sad.
“But the best thing you did,” said May, “don’t you see?
Was to grow a beautiful grandma for me!”
BY LYDIA MARIA CHILD
Over the river and through the wood,
To grandfather’s house we go;
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh
Through the white and drifted snow.
Over the river and through the wood—
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes
And bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.
Over the river and through the wood,
To have a first-rate play;
Hear the bells ring,
“Ting-a-ling-ding!”
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!
Over the river and through the wood,
Trot fast, my dapple-gray!
Spring over the ground,
Like a hunting hound!
For this is Thanksgiving Day.
Over the river and through the wood,
And straight through the barn-yard gate.
We seem to go
Extremely slow—
It is so hard to wait!
Over the river and through the wood—
Now grandmother’s cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun!
Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!
Grandma told me all about it;
Told me so I couldn’t doubt it;
How she danced—my grandma danced,
Long ago.
How she held her pretty head,
How her dainty skirt she spread,
How she turned her little toes,
Smiling little human rose!
Long ago.
Grandma’s hair was bright and sunny,
Dimpled cheeks, too—ah, how funny!
Really, quite a pretty girl,
Long ago.
Bless her! Why, she wears a cap,
Grandma, does, and takes a nap,
Every single day, and yet,
Grandma danced a minuet,
Long ago.
No—they moved with stately grace,
Everything in proper place;
Gliding slowly forward, then
Slowly courtesying back again,
Long ago.
Modern ways are quite alarming,
Grandma says; but boys were charming—
Girls and boys, I mean, of course—
Long ago.
Bravely modest, grandly shy—
Now she sits there rocking, rocking,
Always knitting grandpa’s stocking,
Every girl was taught to knit,
Long ago.
Yet her figure is so neat,
And her smile so staid and sweet,
I can almost see her now
Bending to her partner’s bow,
Long ago.
Grandma says our modern jumping,
Hopping, rushing, whirling, bumping
Would have shocked the gentlefolk,
Long ago.
What if all of us should try
Just to feel like those who met
In the graceful minuet,
Long ago?
With the minuet in fashion,
Who could fly into a passion?
All would wear the calm they wore,
Long ago.
In time to come, if I perchance
Should tell my grandchild of our dance
I should really like to say:
“We did, dear, in some such way,
Long ago.”
BY NORMAN GALE
When Aunt Jan’s coming there’s such romping in the house,
She’s sweeter than a daffodil and softer than a mouse!
She sings about the passages, and never wants to rest,
And father says it’s all because a bird is in her breast.
When Aunt Jan’s kissing there’s such a crowding round her knees,
Such clambers to her bosom, and such battles for a squeeze!
We dirty both her snowy cuffs, we trample on her gown,
And sometimes all her yellow hair comes tumbling, tumbling down.
When Aunt Jan’s dancing we all watch her as she goes,
With in-and-out and round-about upon her shiny toes;
And when her merry breath is tired she stops the fun and stands
To curtsy saucily to us, or kiss her pretty hands.
When Aunt Jan’s playing, the piano seems alive,
With all the notes as busy as the bees are in a hive;
And when it’s time for Bedfordshire, as sweetly as a lark
She sings that God is waiting to protect us in the dark.
When Aunt Jan’s leaving we are not ashamed to cry,
A-kissing at the station and a-waving her good-by;
But springtime brings the crocus after winter, rain and frost
So dear Aunt Jan will come again. She isn’t really lost.
Very often in the evening,
Shortly after tea,
Father, when he’s read the paper,
Takes me on his knee.
There I fix myself “quite comfy,”
In his arms so strong,
While he makes up lovely stories
As he goes along.
Mother near us with her sewing,
Rocking to and fro,
Smiles and listens to the stories,
Likes them too, I know.
And I’m sure that she is thinking,
What perhaps you’ve guessed,
That the stories Father tells us
Are the very best.
“Come hither, little puppy-dog,
I’ll give you a new collar,
If you will learn to read your book,
And be a clever scholar.”
“No! no!” replied the puppy-dog,
“I’ve other fish to fry;
For I must learn to guard your house,
And bark when thieves come nigh.”
With a tingle, tangle titmouse,
Robin knows great A,
And B, and C, and D, and E,
F, G, H, I, J, K.
“Come hither, pretty cockatoo,
Come and learn your letters;
And you shall have a knife and fork
To eat with, like your betters.”
“No! no!” the cockatoo replied,
“My beak will do as well;
I’d rather eat my victuals thus
Than go and learn to spell.”
With a tingle, tangle titmouse,
Robin knows great A,
And B, and C, and D, and E,
F, G, H, I, J, K.
“Come hither, little pussy-cat,
If you’ll your grammar study,
I’ll give you silver clogs to wear,
Whene’er the gutter’s muddy.”
“No! whilst I grammar learn,” says puss,
“Your house will in a trice
Be overrun from top to toe
With flocks of rats and mice.”
With a tingle, tangle titmouse,
Robin knows great A,
And B, and C, and D, and E,
F, G, H, I, J, K.
“Come hither, then, good little boy,
And learn your alphabet,
And you a pair of boots and spurs,
Like your papa’s, shall get.”
“Oh, yes! I’ll learn my alphabet,
And when I’ve learned to read,
Perhaps papa will give me, too,
A pretty, long-tailed steed.”
With a tingle, tangle titmouse,
Robin knows great A,
And B, and C, and D, and E,
F, G, H, I, J, K.
is for
Ale,
Apple,
Artichoke,
and Ann;
is for
Brown Bear,
Black Bear,
and Bran;
is for
Chestnut,
Clay,
Coke, and
Coal,
is for
Dear,
Dray,
Dick,
Duck, and
Droll,
is for
Eve,
Eagle,
Eel,
East, and
Ear;
is for
Fan,
Feather,
Furrow,
Fox, and
Fear;
is for
Goose,
Gander,
Green,
Grub, and
Gray;
is for
Horse,
Hound,
Hip,
Haw, and
Hay;
is for
Ice,
Idler,
Ink,
If, and
Ill;
is for
James,
Jane, for
Jack, and
Jill;
is for
Kiss,
Kitten,
King,
Kitchen,
and Kite;
is for
Lamb,
Lady,
Lace,
Luck, and
Light;
is for
Moon,
Mitten,
Mist,
Moth, and
Mote;
is for
Ned,
Nurse, for
Nose,
Nut, and
Note;
is for
Oil,
Order,
Oat,
Orange,
Oak;
is for
Pin,
Pan, and
Pig in a
Poke;
is for
Queen,
Question,
Quarter, and
Quack;
is for
Reel,
Radish,
Ruff,
Reeve, and
Rack;
is for
Skate,
Salmon,
Sprat,
Saw, and
School;
is for
Tin,
Teapot,
Tar,
Torch, and
Tool;
is for
Urn,
Usher,
Umpire, and
Use;
is for
Vegetables,
Varnish,
and Views;
is for
Want,
War,
Water, and
Wing;
is for
Xenophon,
and
Xerxes,
the King;
is for
Yam,
Yacht,
Yellow, and
Yawl;
is for
Zeal,
Zebra,
Zany—
That’s all!
BY EDWARD LEAR
A was an ant
Who seldom stood still,
And who made a nice house
In the side of a hill.
a
Nice little ant!
B was a book
With a binding of blue,
And pictures and stories
For me and for you.
b
Nice little book!
C was a camel;
You rode on his hump;
And if you fell off,
You came down such a bump!
c
What a high camel!
D was a duck
With spots on his back,
Who lived in the water,
And always said “Quack!”
d
Dear little duck!
E was an elephant,
Stately and wise:
He had tusks and a trunk,
And two queer little eyes.
e
Oh, what funny small eyes!
F was a fish
Who was caught in a net;
But he got out again,
And is quite alive yet.
f
Lively young fish!
G was a goat
Who was spotted with brown;
When he did not lie still
He walked up and down.
g
Good little goat!
H was a hat
Which was all on one side;
Its crown was too high,
And its brim was too wide.
h
Oh, what a hat!
I was some ice
So white and so nice,
But which nobody tasted;
And so it was wasted.
i
All that good ice!
J was a jackdaw
Who hopped up and down
In the principal street
Of a neighboring town.
j
All through the town!
K was a kite
Which flew out of sight,
Above houses so high,
Quite into the sky.
k
Fly away, kite!
L was a light
Which burned all the night,
And lighted the gloom
Of a very dark room.
l
Useful nice light!
M was a man,
Who walked round and round;
And he wore a long coat
That came down to the ground.
m
Funny old man!
N was a net
Which was thrown in the sea
To catch fish for dinner
For you and for me.
n
Nice little net!
O was an orange
So yellow and round;
When it fell off the tree,
It fell down to the ground.
o
Down to the ground!
P was a pig,
Who was not very big,
But his tail was too curly,
And that made him surly.
p
Cross little pig!
Q was a quail
With a very short tail;
And he fed upon corn
In the evening and morn.
q
Quaint little quail!
R was a rabbit,
Who had a bad habit
Of eating the flowers
In gardens and bowers.
r
Naughty fat rabbit!
S was the sugar-tongs,
Nippity-nee,
To take up the sugar
To put in our tea.
s
Nippity-nee!
T was a tortoise,
All yellow and black:
He walked slowly away,
And he never came back.
t
Torty never came back!
U was an urn
All polished and bright,
And full of hot water
At noon and at night.
u
Useful old urn!
V was a veil
With a border upon it,
And a ribbon to tie it
All round a pink bonnet.
v
Pretty green veil!
W was a whale
With a very long tail,
Whose movements were frantic
Across the Atlantic.
w
Monstrous old whale!
X was King Xerxes,
Who, more than all Turks, is
Renowned for his fashion
Of fury and passion.
x
Angry old Xerxes.
Y was a yew,
Which flourished and grew
By a quiet abode
Near the side of a road.
y
Dark little yew!
Z was a zebra,
All striped white and black;
And if he were tame,
You might ride on his back.
z
Pretty striped zebra!
BY EDWARD LEAR
a
A was once an apple-pie,
Pidy,
Widy,
Tidy,
Pidy,
Nice insidy,
Apple-pie!
b
B was once a little bear,
Beary,
Wary,
Hairy,
Beary,
Take cary,
Little bear!
c
C was once a little cake,
Caky,
Baky,
Maky,
Caky,
Taky caky,
Little cake!
d
D was once a little doll,
Dolly,
Molly,
Polly,
Nolly,
Nursy dolly,
Little doll!
e
E was once a little eel,
Eely,
Weely,
Peely,
Eely,
Twirly, tweely,
Little eel!
f
F was once a little fish,
Fishy,
Wishy,
Squishy,
Fishy,
In a dishy,
Little fish!
g
G was once a little goose,
Goosey,
Moosy,
Boosey,
Goosey,
Waddly-woosy,
Little goose!
h
H was once a little hen,
Henny,
Chenny,
Tenny,
Henny,
Eggsy-any,
Little hen?
i
I was once a bottle of ink,
Inky,
Dinky,
Thinky,
Inky,
Black minky,
Bottle of ink!
j
J was once a jar of jam,
Jammy,
Mammy,
Clammy,
Jammy,
Sweety, swammy,
Jar of jam!
k
K was once a little kite,
Kity,
Whity,
Flighty,
Kity,
Out of sighty,
Little kite!
l
L was once a little lark,
Larky,
Marky,
Harky,
Larky,
In the parky,
Little lark!
m
M was once a little mouse,
Mousy,
Bousy,
Sousy,
Mousy,
In the housy,
Little mouse!
n
N was once a little needle,
Needly,
Tweedly,
Threedly,
Needly,
Wisky, wheedly,
Little needle!
o
O was once a little owl,
Owly,
Prowly,
Howly,
Owly,
Browny fowly,
Little owl!
p
P was once a little pump,
Pumpy,
Slumpy,
Flumpy,
Pumpy,
Dumpy, thumpy,
Little pump!
q
Q was once a little quail,
Quaily,
Faily,
Daily,
Quaily,
Stumpy-taily,
Little quail!
r
R was once a little rose,
Rosy,
Posy,
Nosy,
Rosy,
Blows-y, grows-y,
Little rose!
s
S was once a little shrimp,
Shrimpy,
Nimpy,
Flimpy,
Shrimpy,
Jumpy, jimpy,
Little shrimp!
t
T was once a little thrush,
Thrushy,
Hushy,
Bushy,
Thrushy,
Flitty, flushy,
Little thrush!
u
U was once a little urn,
Urny,
Burny,
Turny,
Urny,
Bubbly, burny,
Little urn!
v
V was once a little vine,
Viny,
Winy,
Twiny,
Viny,
Twisty-twiny,
Little vine!
w
W was once a whale,
Whaly,
Scaly,
Shaly,
Whaly,
Tumbly-taily,
Mighty whale!
x
X was once a great king Xerxes,
Xerxy,
Perxy,
Turxy,
Xerxy,
Linxy, lurxy,
Great King Xerxes!
y
Y was once a little yew
Yewdy,
Fewdy,
Crudy,
Yewdy,
Growdy, grewdy,
Little yew!
z
Z was once a piece of zinc,
Tinky,
Winky,
Blinky,
Tinky,
Tinkly minky,
Piece of zinc!
A was an apple pie,
B bit it;
C cut it;
D dealt it;
E ate it;
F fought for it;
G got it;
H had it;
I inquired about it;
J joined it;
K kept it;
L longed for it;
M mourned for it;
N nodded at it;
O opened it;
P peeped in it;
Q quartered it;
R ran for it;
S stole it;
T took it;
U upset it;
V viewed it;
W wanted it;
X, Y, Z, and amper-sand,
All hoped for a piece in hand.
By Carolyn Wells.
A is for the Antelope,
A beast that I have never met;
They say he jumps the skipping-rope
And makes a charming household pet.
Well, as to that I cannot say;
But A is for him, anyway.
B stands for Bajjerkeit; maybe
You’ve never chanced this beast to see;
So I’ll describe him to you. Well,
There isn’t very much to tell.
One day I idly chanced to look
Within a Natural History book,
And there I saw his funny name,
And thought I’d hand him down to fame.
C is for Codfish. He must be
The saltest fish that swims the sea.
And, oh!
He has a secret woe!
You see, he thinks it’s all his fault
The ocean is so very salt!
And so,
In hopeless grief and woe,
The Codfish has, for many years,
Shed quarts of salty, briny tears!
And, oh!
His tears still flow—
So great his grief and woe!
D stands for Dodo. He’s a bird
That isn’t known to many;
And this the reason, I have heard—
Because there aren’t any!
The Dodo, who once blithely blinked,
Is now exceedingly extinct,
And doesn’t it seem rather nice
To think that D stands for him twice?
E is for Elephant. I know
He isn’t natty, trim, or trig;
His eyes are rather small, and, oh,
I fear his ears are far too big!
But there’s a well-attested rumor
That he has quite a sense of humor;
So crack a joke whene’er you meet
An Elephant upon the street.
F is Flamingo. All please note
His wondrous height and girth;
He has the longest legs and throat
Of anything on earth.
Such throats are trying, are they not?
In case one catches cold;
Ah, yes! but just think what a lot
His Christmas stockings hold!
G stands for Gnu. Of course that’s right, but then,
It seems as if it should begin with N.
I could select some other beast as well—
Say, Goose or Grampus, Gadfly or Gazelle;
But seems to me the Gnu is more attractive,
He is so merry, frivolous, and active.
H is for Hippopotamus.
If you desire a pet,
He is, it really seems to us,
The best that you can get.
Train him to follow at your heels
Whene’er you walk abroad,
And note with what delighted squeals
The lookers-on applaud!
I is for Ibex. This fine creature
Is favored well in form and feature.
And I is for Ichneumon, too—
But what is that to me or you?
But Ibex answers just as well,
And isn’t near so hard to spell.
J stands for Jay. This little fellow
Is blue. Sometimes I think
I’d like him better were he yellow,
Or even reddish pink.
I know, of course, it is absurd
To mind the color of a bird;
And, now I think of it, I’ve seen
Some Jays that were exceeding green.
K stands for Kangaroo. I’ve looked all round:
A better beast for K cannot be found.
The Kangaroo can hop and hop and hop;
Somehow he never seems to want to stop.
What more could one desire of him, I pray,
Than just to hop around and stand for K?
L is for Leopard. Do you know
He’s very, very vain?
And sometimes quite dejectedly
He mopes along the plain.
At these sad times the Leopard’s heart
Is filled with angry passion,
Because his spots are out of date,
And Zebra stripes in fashion!
But other years, when fashion-books
Say spots are all the style,
The Leopard proudly stalks abroad
With most complacent smile.
M is for Microbe. This bad beast
Is very, very small;
Some people say—or think, at least—
He isn’t there at all!
He’s smaller than the mitiest mite;
The only way he comes in sight
Is when he’s pictured in a book,
Or through a microbescope you look.
N is for Nautilus, and he’s
A pirate, bold and gay;
He dashes madly through the seas,
A-searching of his prey.
He’s just a sort of silvery mass,
All spotted blue and pink;
And with his eye, which looks like glass,
He winks a wicked wink.
O stands for the obsequious Ounce,
Who weighs full many a pound;
At you he playfully would bounce,
If you were walking round.
Approach him and the Ounce you’ll see
Spring like a catapult;
Just try it once, and you will be
Surprised at the result.
P stands for Puma. His sleek paws
Go softly pit-a-pat;
His teeth are sharp, and sharp his claws;
He’s just a great big cat.
There were some Pumas in the ark;
There are some also in the park:
But, strange to say, in Montezuma
They do not raise a single Puma!
Q stands for Quagga. We’ve been taught
Nothing was ever made in vain;
But even after serious thought
The Quagga’s use is not quite plain.
Though, stay!—ah, yes! at last I see
Why the queer Quagga has to be:
Were there no Quaggas, how would you
Find any beast to stand for Q?
R’s for Rhinoceros. You see
His clothing does not fit;
Yet so indifferent is he,
He doesn’t care a bit.
Although it does not seem to us
The unconcerned Rhinoceros
Has any claim to wit or grace,
We must admire his earnest face.
S stands for Sponge. You’d scarce suppose
This could be called a creature;
It hasn’t any eyes or nose—
Indeed, it has no feature.
And, though this may cause some surprise,
The mermaids, I dare say,
Will set a Sponge at night to rise,
And make sponge-cake next day.
T stands for Tiger. In the south
He roams his native heath.
He has a wide, capacious mouth,
And long and glistening teeth.
’Tis not worth while your time to spend
To cultivate him as a friend;
But to your house, so warm and snug,
Invite the Tiger as a rug.
U is for the Unicorn,
The dearest little thing;
Though he has but a single horn,
And not a single wing.
A Unicorn of any age
Is nicer, so I’ve heard,
To keep within a gilded cage
Than a canary-bird.
V is for Vervet. From his name
You’d be inclined to think
This creature rather mild and tame,
In color somewhat pink.
But not at all; the Vervet’s green,
And very cross and spunky;
In fact, it’s plainly to be seen
The Vervet’s just a monkey!
W is for Whale. He’s in
The oceans, north and south.
He doesn’t have a dimpled chin,
Nor yet a rosebud mouth.
Yet he is very fond of fun,
And has wide smiles for every one.
X stands for Xiphias; he’s a fish.
If you a Xiphias should wish,
Don’t let him roam around the grass,
But keep him in a globe of glass.
His name, as everybody knows,
Is Xiphias Gladius. I suppose
That means the Xiphias is glad
Because he wasn’t born a Shad.
Y is for Yak,
Who is not very tidy;
And he’s lazy, alack!
He sleeps all day Friday.
About a yard wide
The Yak is, precisely;
With fringe on each side
He’s trimmed very nicely.
Z stands for Zibet. I’ve been told
This beast was much esteemed of old;
But, latterly, most people think
They’d rather have a moose or mink.
In a museum that’s in Tibet
They have one stuffed—he’s an Ex-Zibet!
A was an Archer, who shot at a frog;
B was a Butcher, and had a great dog.
C was a Captain, all covered with lace;
D was a drunkard, and had a red face.
E was an Esquire, with pride on his brow;
F was a Farmer, and followed the plough.
G was a gamester, who had but ill-luck;
H was a Hunter, who hunted a buck.
I was an Innkeeper, who loved to carouse;
J was a Joiner, and built up a house.
K is the King, who governs England;
L was a Lady, who had a white hand.
M was a Miser, and hoarded up gold;
N was a Nobleman, gallant and bold.
O was an Oyster-Girl, who went about town;
P was a Parson, and wore a black gown.
Q was a Queen, who wore a silk slip;
R was a Robber, and wanted a whip.
S was a Sailor, and spent all he got;
T was a Tinker, and mended a pot.
U was an Usurer, a miserable elf;
V was a Vintner, who drank all himself.
W was a Watchman, and guarded the door;
X was expensive, and so became poor.
Y was a Youth, that did not love school;
Z was a Zany, a poor harmless fool.
BY CAROLYN WELLS
Affable Andy
Ate sugar candy.
Boisterous Ben
Shot at a hen.
Gay little Guy
Thought he could fly.
Helen and Hugh
Called the sky blue.
Careless Corinne
Lost her gold pin.
Dear little Davy
Liked chicken gravy.
Ignorant Ike
Fell off his bike.
Jaunty young Jack
Stepped on a tack.
Elegant Ed
Had a new sled.
Fair little Fanny
Wrote to her Granny.
Kind little Kay
Gave things away.
Lovable Lenny
Lost his new penny.
Merry young Mac
Rode in a hack.
Nice little Nettie
Never was fretty.
Unsocial Una
Gazed up at Luna.
Vigorous Vinton
Always was “sprintin’.”
Opulent Ollie
Rode on the trolley.
Popular Polly
Made pies so jolly.
Whimsical Winnie
Started for Guinea.
Xenophon Bump
Tried a high jump.
Queer little Queen
Always wore green.
Rollicking Rory
Read a long story.
Yellow-haired Yorick
Made leaps historic.
Zealous young Zed
Stood on his head.
Sturdy St. Clair
Marched everywhere.
Tommy and Teddy
Climbed straight and steady.
Ampersand held a book in his hand.
BY MRS. FREDERICK PETERSON
is for Apples
and also for Air;
Children need both
and we have them to spare.
is for Butter spread
thick on Brown Bread,
Also for Baths
before Breakfast or Bed.
is for Cereals
and Cocoa too;
Consider the Calories
coming to You.
is for Dates,
the kind that You eat,
Deliciously sweet
and far cheaper than Meat.
is the Excellent
Edible Egg,
One daily at least,
dear Children, we beg.
is for Fruits, whether
fresh, dried or stewed;
Dried, at the Grocer’s,
you’ll buy them, if shrewd.
is for Gaining,
as every Child could,
A half pound a Month
is the least that he should.
is for Height,
be as tall as you can,
Weight up to Height
makes a healthy strong Man.
is for Iron
in Spinach and Eggs,
Builds Red Blood and Sinews
for strong Arms and Legs.
is for Jam
and also for Joy,
Which spread on his Bread
it brings to a Boy.
is for Kitchen
so spick and so span,
We all like our Food
from a shining clean Pan.
is for Luncheon
served hot in the School;
We wish all the Teachers
could follow this Rule.
is for Milk which
makes Muscle and Bone;
One pint a day
would be best till you’re grown.
is for News
of habits you need,
To grow up so healthy
you’re bound to succeed.
is for Oatmeal,
the finest of Food;
With Milk for your Breakfast
there’s nothing so good.
is for Prunes,
Potatoes and Peas,
And Patriots who will
be glad to eat these.
is for Quiet,
we frequently need;
After Meals don’t run
at the top of your speed.
is for Rest
and Round Rosy Faces;
Rest is a thing
which nothing replaces.
is important
and therefore I hope
You’ll pardon my specially
mentioning Soap.
is a Topic
which Trouble begins;
Both Tea and Coffee
for Children are Sins.
Understanding
the best way to live,
United for Service
our Country to give.
is for Vegetables;
if you’re too slim,
These Victuals are full
of Vigor and Vim.
is for Water,
the best thing to drink
Between Meals
as often as ever we think.
is for Xtras
of Soup or of Milk
For a thin little Girl
till she’s finer than Silk.
is for You,
and I tell you the Truth,
Learn to be Healthy
and Strong in your Youth.
Now march for it, Children,
with Drum and with Fife.
Z is the Zest
which Health gives to Life.
[P] Used by permission of the author and of the publishers, The Child Health Organization.
Here’s A, B, C, D,
E, F and G,
H, I, J, K,
L, M, N, O, P,
Q, R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, and Z,
And oh, dear me,
When shall I learn
My A, B, C.