Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building Part 14

p.u.s.s.y SITS BESIDE THE FIRE

"p.u.s.s.y sits beside the fire How can she be fair?

Then comes in the little dog.

"p.u.s.s.y, are you there?

So so, dear Mistress p.u.s.s.y, Pray tell me how you do?"

"Indeed, I thank you little dog, I'm very well just now."

"Fy, p.u.s.s.y, what a lazy cat, On such a pleasant day To sit and drowse beside the fire And sleep the hours away!

A self-respecting dog would think Himself a sorry cur, If he did nothing all day long But fold his arms and purr!"

"Now, sir, you needn't criticize Because I sit and blink, For while my eyes are shut, like this, I think, and think, and think.

And when I purr, please understand I work with all my might, A-humming over songs I sing When I go out at night.

"Excuse me. Now I'll close my eyes, And think a little more.

On busy days like this, I show My visitors the door.

'T is only little dogs who judge That one must idle be, Unless one's chasing round and round Or barking up a tree."

THE NORTH WIND DOTH BLOW

"The north wind doth blow, and we shall have snow, And what will the robin do then, poor thing?

He'll sit in the barn and keep himself warm, And hide his head under his wing, poor thing."

But never a word of plaint will be heard From robin, no matter how tired and cold; For well will he know that the winter will go, And the blossoms and greenness of spring unfold.

And when the warm sun says winter is done, He'll gladden us all with his cheery song; And never will fret if the season is wet, Or wail that the winter was hard and long.

I HAD A LITTLE HUSBAND

"I had a little husband No bigger than my thumb, I put him in a pint pot, And there I bid him drum I bought a little handkerchief To wipe his little nose, And a pair of little garters To tie his little hose."

I bought a little carriage And took him out to ride, And yet with all my efforts He wasn't satisfied.

I never would have married, Now this I do declare,-- If I'd supposed a husband Was such an awful care.

There was a man in our town

"There was a man in our town, And he was wondrous wise He jumped into a bramble bush And scratched out both his eyes.

And when he saw his eyes were out, With all his might and main He jumped into another bush And scratched them in again."

This clever man then hastened on And bought a pair of shears, But when he tried to cut with them, He snipped off both his ears.

And when he heard his ears were off, ('T was told him o'er and o'er), He seized the shears and snipped them back As they had been before.

"Because," said he, "wise men like me, Who travel round about, And keep their eyes, and use them well, May find some people out.

And if they also use their ears, And hark what hearsay brings, They're likewise pretty sure to hear Some very funny things."

SEE SAW, SACARADOWN

"See saw, sacaradown, Which is the way to Boston town?

One foot up, the other foot down.

That is the way to Boston town."

See saw, steady and slow!

Other places there are, I know, But they are not worth the trouble to go, For Boston people have told me so.

Sing a Song o' sixpence

"Sing a song o' sixpence Pocket full of rye; Four-and-twenty blackbirds Baked in a pie.

When the pie was opened The birds began to sing Was not this a dainty dish To set before the King?

The King was in his counting-house Counting out his money; The Queen was in the parlor, Eating bread and honey.

The maid was in the garden Hanging out the clothes When along came a blackbird And nipped off her nose."

Sing a song o' sixpence A pocket full of rye; I know another blackbird Baked in a pie.

The maid it was who baked it With all her might and main, Resolved there'd be one blackbird That shouldn't nip again.

I LOVE LITTLE p.u.s.s.y

"I love little p.u.s.s.y, her coat is so warm, And if I don't hurt her, she'll do me no harm.

I'll sit by the fire and give her some food, And p.u.s.s.y will love me because I am good."

I never will dress her again, that is sure.

Her scratches, you see, are not easy to cure.

And I find that it takes much more time than you'd guess, To sew up the rents in my dolly's best dress.

I'd give a good deal, if it wasn't for that, To see how she'd look in my dolly's new hat.

But no, I'll not try it, you never can tell; And politeness is best till one's scratches get well.

The Horner Brothers

BY Elizabeth Raymond Woodward

Jack Horner had three brothers, Their names were Horner, too-- One was James, and one was George, And the little one was Hugh.

And they always did exactly What they saw Jackie do-- James and George and the littlest one, The one whose name was Hugh.

So when Jack's Christmas pie was made, They made three others, too-- One for James, and one for George, And a little one for Hugh.

And _they_ sat up in corners, As they'd seen Jackie do-- James and George and the littlest one, The one whose name was Hugh.

I'm sure 't was _very_ lucky (Does it not seem so to you?) That the room had just four corners For Jack James George and Hugh For if Jackie had a corner, There _must_ be corners, too, For James and George and the littlest one, The one whose name was Hugh.