If John was afflicted with sickness or pain, If any one wronged him or treated him ill, Would be making two rogues when there need be but one. And thus honest John, though his station was humble, FRIENDS How good to lie a little while And look up through the tree! The Sky is like a kind big smile Bent sweetly over me. The Sunshine flickers through the lace Of leaves above my head, And kisses me upon the face Like Mother, before bed. The Wind comes stealing o'er the grass To whisper pretty things; And though I cannot see him pass, I feel his careful wings. So many gentle Friends are near Abbie Farwell Brown [18 "There Was a Little Girl" 113 ANGER ANGER in its time and place The vile snake will always sting you. Charles and Mary Lamb "THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL" THERE was a little girl, who had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead, And when she was good, she was very, very good, She stood on her head, on her little trundle-bed, With nobody by for to hinder; She screamed and she squalled, she yelled and she bawled, And drummed her little heels against the winder. Her mother heard the noise, and thought it was the boys Playing in the empty attic, She rushed upstairs, and caught her unawares, And spanked her, most emphatic. Unknown THE REFORMATION OF GODFREY GORE GODFREY GORDON GUSTAVUS GORE No doubt you have heard the name before— The wind might whistle, the wind might roar, His father would beg, his mother implore, We really do wish you would shut the door!" Their hands they wrung, their hair they tore; Was deaf as the buoy out at the Nore. When he walked forth the folks would roar, They rigged out a Shutter with sail and oar, But he begged for mercy, and said, "No more! On a Shutter, and then I will shut the door!" "You will?" said his parents; "then keep on shore! But mind you do! For the plague is sore Of a fellow that never will shut the door, William Brighty Rands [1823-1882] THE BEST FIRM A PRETTY good firm is "Watch & Waite," How the Little Kite Learned to Fly 1151 A LITTLE PAGE'S SONG GOD's lark at morning I would be! A sunrise hymn. At night I'd be God's troubadour! And maybe praise! William Alexander Percy [1885 HOW THE LITTLE KITE LEARNED TO FLY "I NEVER can do it," the little kite said, As he looked at the others high over his head; "I know I should fall if I tried to fly." "Try," said the big kite; "only try! The big kite nodded: "Ah well, goodby; Till the big kite looking down could see Then how the little kite thrilled with pride, And only the birds and the clouds were there. Unknown THE BUTTERFLY AND THE BEE METHOUGHT I heard a butterfly "Poor child of vanity! those dyes, "Content I toil from morn till eve, And, scorning idleness, To tribes of gaudy sloth I leave The vanity of dress." William Lisle Bowles [1762-1850] THE BUTTERFLY THE butterfly, an idle thing, Nor honey makes, nor yet can sing, As do the bee and bird; Nor does it, like the prudent ant, My youth is but a summer's day: A store of learning by; And though from flower to flower I rove, My stock of wisdom I'll improve, Nor be a butterfly. Adelaide O'Keefe (1776-1855] MORNING THE lark is up to meet the sun, The bee is on the wing, The woods with music.ring. |