Child Songs of Cheer Part 9

Dearest, G.o.d bless thee, Fold and caress thee, Unto thy cradle may good fairies fly!

Fortune be fair for thee, This is my prayer for thee, Lullaby, little one, hush-a-by-bye!

So for a love now Token thereof now, Sweet, see this tiny May-basket I bring; Posies to play with, Pinks to be gay with, Dear little baby of sunshine and spring!

THE LITTLE NEST

A little picture haunts me; It comes and comes again; It is a tiny bird's-nest, All ragged from the rain.

It clings within a birch-tree Upon the moorland's edge, Between the barren branches, Above the swaying sedge.

The sky is gray behind it, And when the north winds blow, The birch-tree bends and shivers, And tosses to and fro.

I wonder, does it haunt them, The birds that flew away?

And will they come to seek it, Some sunny summer day?

I wonder, does some redbreast Upon an orange-bough, Still picture it as plainly As I can see it now?

Ah me! I would forget it, Yet still, with sense of pain, I see this little bird's-nest Within the driving rain.

CHRISTMAS CANDLES

When the Christ-child comes again Softly down the street to-night, Twinkling through the window pane Let our candles shed their light.

Though the clouds are dark above And the golden stars are dim, We can tell Him of our love If we set a light for Him.

Oh, the blessed Christ-child dear, In His robe of shining white, Let our candles give Him cheer As He pa.s.ses by to-night!

A SONG OF THE CHRISTMAS-TREE

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHRISTMAS CANDLES]

We can tell Him of our love If we set a light for Him.

Hurrah! Hurrah! for the Christmas-tree With its glory and glitter and mystery!

Its twinkling candles that bud and bloom Like strange bright flowers in the darkened room, Its glistening gold and silver b.a.l.l.s, Its candy canes and its blue-eyed dolls, The sugary fruits it bears,--for oh, Where else do such wonderful sweetmeats grow?-- Its ta.s.seled horns and its pop-corn strings And all its myriad marvelous things!

O-ho! and ah-ha!

And a hip hurrah!

For our dear and beautiful tree, because It grew in the gardens of Santa Claus

And he brought it here in his reindeer sleigh From ever and ever so far away!

_So, children, come, let us make a ring And all clasp hands as we dance and sing To the blessed tree and the blessed night When the Christ-child walks in the candles' light!_

Hurrah! Hurrah! for the Christmas-tree That Santa Claus brought to you and me!

He cut it down with a silver axe-- There's a tree in each of his million packs!-- And carried it safely over the snow And down our chimney and here, you know; Its golden cobwebs that glint and gleam He took from a lovely Christmas dream And tangled them over it till, behold, It shines like the fabled Fleece of Gold!

Oh, Santa Claus, here's A thrice three cheers For garlands green and berries of red, And mistletoe cl.u.s.tering overhead, For the joy of our Christmas festival!

But our beautiful tree, it is best of all!

_And circling still in a merry ring We'll still clasp hands as we dance and sing To the blessed tree and the blessed night When the Christ-child walks in the candles' light!_

Hurrah! Hurrah! for the Christmas-tree!

And look, O look to its tip and see The feathery slim fir leaves and where, In the topmost boughs, is the image fair Of the Christ-child nestling amid the green And the little brown cones that peep between!

And high above Him glittering bright A gold star sparkles with golden light, And we children think, as we gaze on them, Of the wonderful Star of Bethlehem, Of the lovely Star And the Kings who far, Oh, far, came seeking a Babe and brought Their love and worship to Him they sought, And made Him gifts, as the gifts we make With loving hearts for that Baby's sake.

_Oh, come, come all, and join the ring!

Let all clasp hands as we dance and sing To the blessed tree and the blessed night When the Christ-child walks in the candles' light!_

OUR KITTENS

Our kittens have the softest fur, And the sweetest little purr, And such little velvet paws With such cunning little claws, And blue eyes, just like the sky!

(_Must_ they turn green, by and by?) Two are striped like tigers, three Are as black as black can be, And they run so fast and play With their tails, and are so gay, Is it not a pity that Each must grow into a cat?

IN JULY

Let us find a shady wady Pretty little brook; Let us have some candy handy, And a picture-book.

There all day we'll stay and play and Never mind the heat, While the water gleaming, streaming, Ripples round our feet.

And we'll gather curly pearly Mussel-sh.e.l.ls while bright Frightened minnows darting, parting, Scurry out of sight.

What if, what if,--heigho! my oh!-- All the "ifs" were true, And the little fishes wishes, Now, what would you do?

A VALENTINE TO A LITTLE CHILD

Dear heart, on this thrice-blessed day, An thou my sweetheart be, The rose of love shall bide alway Upon the red-rose tree.