Aunt Kitty's Stories Part 20

FOR NANNIE.

A plum so blue, a cherry red, An orange bright and yellow; A pippin green, as e'er was seen, And peaches rich and mellow.

All, all of these will mama give To la.s.sie good and bonnie, O, So papa down, to Boston town, And buy them all for Nannie, O.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE p.u.s.s.y CAT.

Little puss, come here to me, Gently jump upon my knee, And then your pretty eyes I'll see, But do not scratch.

Pray do you ever catch a mouse, As you run up and down the house?

I'm sure you do, good Mrs. Puss, With these same claws.

Here, share with me this little seat, I never now poor puss will beat, So let me feel how soft your feet, Since you don't scratch.

How very nicely you can draw, Quite out of sight each little claw, And make so soft a velvet paw, Good little puss.

I saw a little mouse, you know, Once yonder in the yard below, And pounce you went upon it so, Poor little thing.

You loosed it oft, and let it run, Then to pursue it you begun, And seemed to think it made good fun, You cruel puss.

But do not tease it so, I pray, Because I've heard papa oft say, It was a very cruel way, And should not be.

So, p.u.s.s.y, you must kill it quite, Not put it in so great a fright, And seem to glory in the sight; Do you hear, puss?

Give to the Father praise, Give glory to the Son; And to the Spirit of His Grace, Be equal honor done.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE FROLICSOME KITTEN.

Dear kitten, do lie still, I say, I really want you to be quiet, Instead of scampering away, And always making such a riot!

There, only see you've torn my frock, And poor mama must put a patch in; I'll give you a right earnest knock, To cure you of this trick of scratching.

----Nay do not scold your little cat, She does not know what 'tis you're saying.

And ev'ry time you give a pat, She thinks you mean it all for playing.

But if your p.u.s.s.y understood The lesson that you want to teach her, And did she _choose_ to be so rude, She'd be _indeed_ a naughty creature.

Penance for beating a Brother.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

A little girl I knew, Who looked extremely mild; And many thought her too A very clever child.

But ah, one fault she had, Although her face was pretty Her temper it was bad; And was not that a pity?

Both absent were one day Her Father and her Mother And then, I grieve to say, She beat her little brother.

The Nurse then thought it right, For beating little Fred, (Although it was not night) To put her into bed.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE NEW BOOK.

Mama, see what a pretty book My dear papa has brought, That I may at the pictures look, And by the words be taught.

He knew I had been good, you said, And had learnt all my spelling; I'm very much obliged to you, My dear mama, for telling.

And that when I am better taught, And read with greater ease, Some more new books shall then be bought, His little girl to please.

My dear papa, he is so kind, I dearly love a book; And dearly too, I love to find These pictures--pray do look!

And, O, dear, if I could but read As fast as I can spell, How very happy I should be, I love to read so well.

I know mama, you'll tell me that To practice is the way, So will you kindly let me, now, Another lesson say.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE DOG.

O, don't hurt the Dog, poor honest old Tray, What good will it do you to drive him away?

Kind treatment is justly his right.