Title: Love-Songs of Childhood
Subject:
Author: Eugene Field
Keywords:
Creator:
PDF Version: 1.2
Page No 1
LoveSongs of Childhood
Eugene Field
Page No 2
Table of Contents
LoveSongs of Childhood ...................................................................................................................................1
Eugene Field............................................................................................................................................1
THE ROCKABY LADY .....................................................................................................................2
"BOOH!" ..................................................................................................................................................3
GARDEN AND CRADLE......................................................................................................................3
THE NIGHT WIND................................................................................................................................4
KISSING TIME .......................................................................................................................................5
JEST 'FORE CHRISTMAS.....................................................................................................................6
BEARD AND BABY..............................................................................................................................7
THE DINKEY BIRD ...............................................................................................................................7
THE DRUM .............................................................................................................................................9
THE DEAD BABE ................................................................................................................................10
THE HAPPY HOUSEHOLD................................................................................................................11
SO, SO, ROCKABY SO! ..................................................................................................................12
THE SONG OF LUDDYDUD ............................................................................................................12
THE DUEL............................................................................................................................................13
GOODCHILDREN STREET ..............................................................................................................14
THE DELECTABLE BALLAD OF THE WALLER LOT..................................................................15
THE STORK ..........................................................................................................................................19
THE BOTTLE TREE............................................................................................................................20
GOOGLYGOO ....................................................................................................................................20
THE BENCHLEGGED FYCE ............................................................................................................21
LITTLE MISS BRAG...........................................................................................................................23
THE HUMMING TOP..........................................................................................................................24
LADY BUTTONEYES .......................................................................................................................25
THE RIDE TO BUMPVILLE...............................................................................................................26
THE BROOK .........................................................................................................................................27
PICNICTIME......................................................................................................................................27
SHUFFLESHOON AND AMBERLOCKS ......................................................................................28
THE SHUTEYE TRAIN.....................................................................................................................29
LITTLEOH DEAR..............................................................................................................................30
THE FLYAWAY HORSE..................................................................................................................31
SWING HIGH AND SWING LOW ......................................................................................................32
WHEN I WAS A BOY ..........................................................................................................................33
AT PLAY ...............................................................................................................................................34
A VALENTINE .....................................................................................................................................34
LITTLE ALLALONEY......................................................................................................................35
SEEIN' THINGS ....................................................................................................................................36
THE CUNNIN' LITTLE THING..........................................................................................................37
THE DOLL'S WOOING.......................................................................................................................38
INSCRIPTION FOR MY LITTLE SON'S SILVER PLATE...............................................................39
FISHERMAN JIM'S KIDS ....................................................................................................................39
"FIDDLEDEEDEE" ..........................................................................................................................40
OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY ................................................................................................41
LoveSongs of Childhood
i
Page No 3
LoveSongs of Childhood
Eugene Field
THE ROCKABY LADY
"BOOH!"
GARDEN AND CRADLE
THE NIGHT WIND
KISSING TIME
JEST 'FORE CHRISTMAS
BEARD AND BABY
THE DINKEY BIRD
THE DRUM
THE DEAD BABE
THE HAPPY HOUSEHOLD
SO, SO, ROCKABY SO!
THE SONG OF LUDDYDUD
THE DUEL
GOODCHILDREN STREET
THE DELECTABLE BALLAD OF THE WALLER LOT
THE STORK
THE BOTTLE TREE
GOOGLYGOO
THE BENCHLEGGED FYCE
LITTLE MISS BRAG
THE HUMMING TOP
LADY BUTTONEYES
THE RIDE TO BUMPVILLE
THE BROOK
PICNICTIME
SHUFFLESHOON AND AMBERLOCKS
THE SHUTEYE TRAIN
LITTLEOH DEAR
THE FLYAWAY HORSE
SWING HIGH AND SWING LOW
WHEN I WAS A BOY
AT PLAY
A VALENTINE
LITTLE ALLALONEY
SEEIN' THINGS
THE CUNNIN' LITTLE THING
THE DOLL'S WOOING
INSCRIPTION FOR MY LITTLE SON'S SILVER PLATE
FISHERMAN JIM'S KIDS
"FIDDLEDEEDEE"
OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY
LoveSongs of Childhood 1
Page No 4
To Mrs. Belle Angler
Dearest Aunt:
Many years ago you used to rock me to sleep, cradling me in your arms and singing me petty songs. Surely
you have not forgotten that time, and I recall it with tenderness. You were very beautiful then. But you are
more beautiful now; for, in the years that have come and gone since then, the joys and the sorrows of
maternity have impressed their saintly grace upon the dear face I used to kiss, and have made your gentle
heart gentler still.
Beloved lady, in memory of years to be recalled only in thought, and in token of my gratitude and affection, I
bring you these little lovesongs, and reverently I lay them at your feet.
Eugene Field
Chicago, November 1, 1894
THE ROCKABY LADY
The RockaBy Lady from Hushaby street
Comes stealing; comes creeping;
The poppies they hang from her head to her feet,
And each hath a dream that is tiny and fleet
She bringeth her poppies to you, my sweet,
When she findeth you sleeping!
There is one little dream of a beautiful drum
"Rubadub!" it goeth;
There is one little dream of a big sugarplum,
And lo! thick and fast the other dreams come
Of popguns that bang, and tin tops that hum,
And a trumpet that bloweth!
And dollies peep out of those wee little dreams
With laughter and singing;
And boats go afloating on silvery streams,
And the stars peekaboo with their own misty gleams,
And up, up, and up, where the Mother Moon beams,
The fairies go winging!
Would you dream all these dreams that are tiny and fleet?
They'll come to you sleeping;
So shut the two eyes that are weary, my sweet,
For the RockaBy Lady from Hushaby street,
With poppies that hang from her head to her feet,
Comes stealing; comes creeping.
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE ROCKABY LADY 2
Page No 5
"BOOH!"
On afternoons, when baby boy has had a splendid nap,
And sits, like any monarch on his throne, in nurse's lap,
In some such wise my handkerchief I hold before my face,
And cautiously and quietly I move about the place;
Then, with a cry, I suddenly expose my face to view,
And you should hear him laugh and crow when I say "Booh"!
Sometimes the rascal tries to make believe that he is scared,
And really, when I first began, he stared, and stared, and stared;
And then his under lip came out and farther out it came,
Till mamma and the nurse agreed it was a "cruel shame"
But now what does that same wee, toddling, lisping baby do
But laugh and kick his little heels when I say "Booh!"
He laughs and kicks his little heels in rapturous glee, and then
In shrill, despotic treble bids me "do it all aden!"
And I of course I do it; for, as his progenitor,
It is such pretty, pleasant play as this that I am for!
And it is, oh, such fun I and sure that we shall rue
The time when we are both too old to play the game "Booh!"
GARDEN AND CRADLE
When our babe he goeth walking in his garden,
Around his tinkling feet the sunbeams play;
The posies they are good to him,
And bow them as they should to him,
As fareth he upon his kingly way;
And birdlings of the wood to him
Make music, gentle music, all the day,
When our babe he goeth walking in his garden.
When our babe he goeth swinging in his cradle,
Then the night it looketh ever sweetly down;
The little stars are kind to him,
The moon she hath a mind to him
And layeth on his head a golden crown;
And singeth then the wind to him
A song, the gentle song of Bethlemtown,
When our babe he goeth swinging in his cradle.
LoveSongs of Childhood
"BOOH!" 3
Page No 6
THE NIGHT WIND
Have you ever heard the wind go "Yooooo"?
'T is a pitiful sound to hear!
It seems to chill you through and through
With a strange and speechless fear.
'T is the voice of the night that broods outside
When folk should be asleep,
And many and many's the time I've cried
To the darkness brooding far and wide
Over the land and the deep:
Whom do you want, O lonely night,
That you wail the long hours through?"
And the night would say in its ghostly way:
"Yoooooooo!
Yoooooooo!
Yoooooooo!"
My mother told me long ago
(When I was a little tad)
That when the night went wailing so,
Somebody had been bad;
And then, when I was snug in bed,
Whither I had been sent,
With the blankets pulled up round my head,
I'd think of what my mother'd said,
And wonder what boy she meant!
And "Who's been bad today?" I'd ask
Of the wind that hoarsely blew,
And the voice would say in its meaningful way:
"Yoooooooo!
Yoooooooo!
Yoooooooo!"
That this was true I must allow
You'll not believe it, though!
Yes, though I'm quite a model now,
I was not always so.
And if you doubt what things I say,
Suppose you make the test;
Suppose, when you've been bad some day
And up to bed are sent away
From mother and the rest
Suppose you ask, "Who has been bad?"
And then you'll hear what's true;
For the wind will moan in its ruefulest tone:
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE NIGHT WIND 4
Page No 7
"Yoooooooo!
Yoooooooo!
Yoooooooo!"
KISSING TIME
'T is when the lark goes soaring
And the bee is at the bud,
When lightly dancing zephyrs
Sing over field and flood;
When all sweet things in nature
Seem joyfully achime
'T is then I wake my darling,
For it is kissing time!
Go, pretty lark, asoaring,
And suck your sweets, 0 bee;
Sing, 0 ye winds of summer,
Your songs to mine and me;
For with your song and rapture
Cometh the moment when
It's halfpast kissing time
And time to kiss again!
So so the days go fleeting
Like golden fancies free,
And every day that cometh
Is full of sweets for me;
And sweetest are those moments
My darling comes to climb
Into my lap to mind me
That it is kissing time.
Sometimes, maybe, he wanders
A heedless, aimless way
Sometimes, maybe, he loiters
In pretty, prattling play;
But presently bethinks him
And hastens to me then,
For it's halfpast kissing time
And time to kiss again!
LoveSongs of Childhood
KISSING TIME 5
Page No 8
JEST 'FORE CHRISTMAS
Father calls me William, sister calls me Will,
Mother calls me Willie, but the fellers call me Bill!
Mighty glad I ain't a girl ruther be a boy,
Without them sashes, curls, an' things that's worn by Fauntleroy!
Love to chawnk green apples an' go swimmin' in the lake
Hate to take the castorile they give for bellyache!
'Most all the time, the whole year round, there ain't no flies on me,
But jest 'fore Christmas I'm as good as I kin be!
Got a yeller dog named Sport, sick him on the cat;
First thing she knows she doesn't know where she is at!
Got a clipper sled, an' when us kids goes out to slide,
'Long comes the grocery cart, an' we all hook a ride!
But sometimes when the grocery man is worrited an' cross,
He reaches at us with his whip, an' larrups up his hoss,
An' then I laff an' holler, "Oh, ye never teched me!"
But jest 'fore Christmas I'm as good as I kin be!
Gran'ma says she hopes that when I git to be a man,
I'll be a missionarer like her oldest brother, Dan,
As was et up by the cannibuls that lives in Ceylon's Isle,
Where every prospeck pleases, an' only man is vile!
But gran'ma she has never been to see a Wild West show,
Nor read the Life of Daniel Boone, or else I guess she'd know
That Buff'lo Bill an' cowboys is good enough for me!
Excep' jest 'fore Christmas, when I'm good as I kin be!
And then old Sport he hangs around, so solemnlike an' still,
His eyes they seem asayin': "What's the matter, little Bill?"
The old cat sneaks down off her perch an' wonders what's become
Of them two enemies of hern that used to make things hum!
But I am so perlite an' 'tend so earnestly to biz,
That mother says to father: "How improved our Willie is!"
But father, havin' been a boy hisself, suspicions me
When, jest 'fore Christmas, I'm as good as I kin be!
For Christmas, with its lots an' lots of candies, cakes, an' toys,
Was made, they say, for proper kids an' not for naughty boys;
So wash yer face an' bresh yer hair, an' mind yer p's and q's,
An' don't bust out yer pantaloons, and don't wear out yer shoes;
Say "Yessum" to the ladies, an' "Yessur" to the men,
An' when they's company, don't pass yer plate for pie again;
But, thinkin' of the things yer'd like to see upon that tree,
Jest 'fore Christmas be as good as yer kin be!
LoveSongs of Childhood
JEST 'FORE CHRISTMAS 6
Page No 9
BEARD AND BABY
I say, as one who never feared
The wrath of a subscriber's bullet,
I pity him who has a beard
But has no little girl to pull it!
When wife and I have finished tea,
Our baby woos me with her prattle,
And, perching proudly on my knee,
She gives my petted whiskers battle.
With both her hands she tugs away,
While scolding at me kind o' spiteful;
You'll not believe me when I say
I find the torture quite delightful!
No other would presume, I ween,
To trifle with this hirsute wonder,
Else would I rise in vengeful mien
And rend his vandal frame asunder!
But when her baby fingers pull
This glossy, sleek, and silky treasure,
My cup of happiness is full
I fairly glow with pride and pleasure!
And, sweeter still, through all the day
I seem to hear her winsome prattle
I seem to feel her hands at play,
As though they gave me sportive battle.
Yes, heavenly music seems to steal
Where thought of her forever lingers,
And round my heart I always feel
The twining of her dimpled fingers!
THE DINKEY BIRD
In an ocean, 'way out yonder
(As all sapient people know),
Is the land of WonderWander,
Whither children love to go;
LoveSongs of Childhood
BEARD AND BABY 7
Page No 10
It's their playing, romping, swinging,
That give great joy to me
While the DinkeyBird goes singing
In the amfalula tree!
There the gumdrops grow like cherries,
And taffy's thick as peas
Caramels you pick like berries
When, and where, and how you please;
Big red sugarplums are clinging
To the cliffs beside that sea
Where the DinkeyBird is singing
In the amfalula tree.
So when children shout and scamper
And make merry all the day,
When there's naught to put a damper
To the ardor of their play;
When I hear their laughter ringing,
Then I'm sure as sure can be
That the DinkeyBird is singing
In the amfalula tree.
For the DinkeyBird's bravuras
And staccatos are so sweet
His roulades, appoggiaturas,
And robustos so complete,
That the youth of every nation
Be they near or far away
Have especial delectation
In that gladsome roundelay.
Their eyes grow bright and brighter,
Their lungs begin to crow,
Their hearts get light and lighter,
And their cheeks are all aglow;
For an echo cometh bringing
The news to all and me,
That the DinkeyBird is singing
In the amfalula tree.
I'm sure you like to go there
To see your feathered friend
And so many goodies grow there
You would like to comprehend!
Speed, little dreams, your winging
To that land across the sea
Where the DinkeyBird is singing
In the amfalula tree!
LoveSongs of Childhood
BEARD AND BABY 8
Page No 11
THE DRUM
I'm a beautiful red, red drum,
And I train with the soldier boys;
As up the street we come,
Wonderful is our noise!
There's Tom, and Jim, and Phil,
And Dick, and Nat, and Fred,
While Widow Cutler's Bill
And I march on ahead,
With a rrrattattat
And a tumtittyumtumtum
Oh, there's bushels of fun in that
For boys with a little red drum!
The Injuns came last night
While the soldiers were abed,
And they gobbled a Chinese kite
And off to the woods they fled!
The woods are the cherrytrees
Down in the orchard lot,
And the soldiers are marching to seize
The booty the Injuns got.
With tumtittyumtumtum,
And rrrattattat,
When soldiers marching come
Injuns had better scat!
Step up there, little Fred,
And, Charley, have a mind!
Jim is as far ahead
As you two are behind!
Ready with gun and sword
Your valorous work to do
Yonder the Injun horde
Are lying in wait for you.
And their hearts go pitapat
When they hear the soldiers come
With a rrrattattat
And a tumtittyumtumtum!
Course it's all in play!
The skulking Injun crew
That hustled the kite away
Are little white boys, like you!
But "honest" or "just in fun,"
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE DRUM 9
Page No 12
It is all the same to me;
And, when the battle is won,
Home once again march we
With a rrrattattat
And tumtittyumtumtum;
And there's glory enough in that
For the boys with their little red drum!
THE DEAD BABE
Last night, as my dear babe lay dead,
In agony I knelt and said:
"0 God! what have I done,
Or in what wise offended Thee,
That Thou should'st take away from me
My little son?
"Upon the thousand useless lives,
Upon the guilt that vaunting thrives,
Thy wrath were better spent!
Why should'st Thou take my little son
Why should'st Thou vent Thy wrath upon
This innocent?"
Last night, as my dear babe lay dead,
Before mine eyes the vision spread
Of things that might have been:
Licentious riot, cruel strife,
Forgotten prayers, a wasted life
Dark red with sin!
Then, with sweet music in the air,
I saw another vision there:
A Shepherd in whose keep
A little lamb my little child!
Of worldly wisdom undefiled,
Lay fast asleep!
Last night, as my dear babe lay dead,
In those two messages I read
A wisdom manifest;
And though my arms be childless now,
I am content to Him I bow
Who knoweth best.
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE DEAD BABE 10
Page No 13
THE HAPPY HOUSEHOLD
It's when the birds go piping and the daylight slowly breaks,
That, clamoring for his dinner, our precious baby wakes;
Then it's sleep no more for baby, and it's sleep no more for me,
For, when he wants his dinner, why it's dinner it must be!
And of that lacteal fluid he partakes with great ado,
While gran'ma laughs,
And gran'pa laughs,
And wife, she laughs,
And I well, I laugh, too!
You'd think, to see us carrying on about that little tad,
That, like as not, that baby was the first we'd ever had;
But, sakes alive! he isn't, yet we people make a fuss
As if the only baby in the world had come to us!
And, morning, noon, and nighttime, whatever he may do,
Gran'ma, she laughs,
Gran'pa, he laughs,
Wife, she laughs,
And I, of course, laugh, too!
But once a likely spell ago when that poor little chick
From teething or from some such ill of infancy fell sick,
You wouldn't know us people as the same that went about
Afeelin' good all over, just to hear him crow and shout;
And, though the doctor poohed our fears and said he'd pull him through,
Old gran'ma cried,
And gran'pa cried,
And wife, she cried,
And I yes, I cried, too!
It makes us all feel good to have a baby on the place,
With his everlastin' crowing and his dimpling, dumpling face;
The patter of his pinky feet makes music everywhere,
And when he shakes those fists of his, goodby to every care!
No matter what our trouble is, when he begins to coo,
Old gran'ma laughs,
And gran'pa laughs,
Wife, she laughs,
And I you bet, I laugh, too!
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE HAPPY HOUSEHOLD 11
Page No 14
SO, SO, ROCKABY SO!
So, so, rockaby so!
Off to the garden where dreamikins grow;
And here is a kiss on your winkyblink eyes,
And here is a kiss on your dimpledown cheek
And here is a kiss for the treasure that lies
In the beautiful garden way up in the skies
Which you seek.
Now mind these three kisses wherever you go
So, so, rockaby so!
There's one little fumfay who lives there, I know,
For he dances all night where the dreamikins grow;
I send him this kiss on your droopydrop eyes,
I send him this kiss on your rosyred cheek.
And here is a kiss for the dream that shall rise
When the fumfay shall dance in those faraway skies
Which you seek.
Be sure that you pay those three kisses you owe
So, so, rockaby so!
And, bylow, as you rockaby go,
Don't forget mother who loveth you so!
And here is her kiss on your weepydeep eyes,
And here is her kiss on your peachypink cheek,
And here is her kiss for the dreamland that lies
Like a babe on the breast of those faraway skies
Which you seek
The blinkywink garden where dreamikins grow
So, so, rockaby so!
THE SONG OF LUDDYDUD
A sunbeam comes acreeping
Into my dear one's nest,
And sings to our babe asleeping
The song that I love the best:
"'T is little LuddyDud in the morning
'T is little LuddyDud at night;
And all day long
'T is the same sweet song
Of that waddling, toddling, coddling little mite,
LoveSongs of Childhood
SO, SO, ROCKABY SO! 12
Page No 15
LuddyDud."
The bird to the tossing clover,
The bee to the swaying bud,
Keep singing that sweet song over
Of wee little LuddyDud.
"'T is little LuddyDud in the morning
'T is little LuddyDud at night;
And all day long
'T is the same dear song
Of that growing, crowing, knowing little sprite,
LuddyDud."
LuddyDud's cradle is swinging
Where softly the night winds blow,
And LuddyDud's mother is singing
A song that is sweet and low:
"'T is little LuddyDud in the morning
'T is little LuddyDud at night;
And all day long
'T is the same sweet song
Of my nearest and my dearest heart's delight,
LuddyDud!"
THE DUEL
The gingham dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
'T was halfpast twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t' other had slept a wink!
The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
(I wasn't there; I simply state
What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)
The gingham dog went "bowwowwow!"
And the calico cat replied "meeow!"
The air was littered, an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
While the old Dutch clock in the chimney place
Up with its hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!
(Now mind: I'm only telling you
What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE DUEL 13
Page No 16
The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!"
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
Employing every tooth and claw
In the awfullest way you ever saw
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
(Don't fancy I exaggerate
I got my news from the Chinese plate!)
Next morning, where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
But the truth about the cat and pup
Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
(The old Dutch clock it told me so,
And that is how I came to know.)
GOODCHILDREN STREET
There's a dear little home in GoodChildren street
My heart turneth fondly today
Where tinkle of tongues and patter of feet
Make sweetest of music at play;
Where the sunshine of love illumines each face
And warms every heart in that oldfashioned place.
For dear little children go romping about
With dollies and tin tops and drums,
And, my! how they frolic and scamper and shout
Till bedtime too speedily comes!
Oh, days they are golden and days they are fleet
With little folk living in GoodChildren street.
See, here comes an army with guns painted red,
And swords, caps, and plumes of all sorts;
The captain rides gaily and proudly ahead
On a stickhorse that prances and snorts!
Oh, legions of soldiers you're certain to meet
Nice makebelieve soldiers in GoodChildren street.
And yonder Odette wheels her dolly about
Poor dolly! I'm sure she is ill,
For one of her blue china eyes has dropped out
LoveSongs of Childhood
GOODCHILDREN STREET 14
Page No 17
And her voice is asthmatic'ly shrill.
Then, too, I observe she is minus her feet,
Which causes much sorrow in GoodChildren street.
'T is so the dear children go romping about
With dollies and banners and drums,
And I venture to say they are sadly put out
When an end to their jubilee comes:
Oh, days they are golden and days they are fleet
With little folk living in GoodChildren street!
But when falleth night over river and town,
Those little folk vanish from sight,
And an angel all white from the sky cometh down
And guardeth the babes through the night,
And singeth her lullabies tender and sweet
To the dear little people in GoodChildren Street.
Though elsewhere the world be o'erburdened with care,
Though poverty fall to my lot,
Though toil and vexation be always my share,
What care I they trouble me not!
This thought maketh life ever joyous and Sweet:
There's a dear little home in GoodChildren street.
THE DELECTABLE BALLAD OF THE WALLER LOT
Up yonder in Buena Park
There is a famous spot,
In legend and in history
Yclept the Waller Lot.
There children play in daytime
And lovers stroll by dark,
For 't is the goodliest trystingplace
In all Buena Park.
Once on a time that beauteous maid,
Sweet little Sissy Knott,
Took out her pretty doll to walk
Within the Waller Lot.
While thus she fared, from Ravenswood
Came Injuns o'er the plain,
And seized upon that beauteous maid
And rent her doll in twain.
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE DELECTABLE BALLAD OF THE WALLER LOT 15
Page No 18
Oh, 't was a piteous thing to hear
Her lamentations wild;
She tore her golden curls and cried:
"My child! My child! My child!"
Alas, what cared those Injun chiefs
How bitterly wailed she?
They never had been mothers,
And they could not hope to be!
"Have done with tears," they rudely quoth,
And then they bound her hands;
For they proposed to take her off
To distant border lands.
But, joy! from Mr. Eddy's barn
Doth Willie Clow behold
The sight that makes his hair rise up
And all his blood run cold.
He put his fingers in his mouth
And whistled long and clear,
And presently a goodly horde
Of cowboys did appear.
Cried Willie Clow: "My comrades bold,
Haste to the Waller Lot,
And rescue from that Injun band
Our charming Sissy Knott!"
"Spare neither Injun buck nor squaw,
But smite them hide and hair!
Spare neither sex nor age nor size,
And no condition spare!"
Then sped that cowboy band away,
Full of revengeful wrath,
And Kendall Evans rode ahead
Upon a hickory lath.
And next came gallant Dady Field
And Willie's brother Kent,
The Eddy boys and Robbie James,
On murderous purpose bent.
For they were much beholden to
That maid in sooth, the lot
Were very, very much in love
With charming Sissy Knott.
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE DELECTABLE BALLAD OF THE WALLER LOT 16
Page No 19
What wonder? She was beauty's queen,
And good beyond compare;
Moreover, it was known she was
Her wealthy father's heir!
Now when the Injuns saw that band
They trembled with affright,
And yet they thought the cheapest thing
To do was stay and fight.
So sturdily they stood their ground,
Nor would their prisoner yield,
Despite the wrath of Willie Clow
And gallant Dady Field.
Oh, never fiercer battle raged
Upon the Waller Lot,
And never blood more freely flowed
Than flowed for Sissy Knott!
An Injun chief of monstrous size
Got Kendall Evans down,
And Robbie James was soon o'erthrown
By one of great renown.
And Dady Field was sorely done,
And Willie Clow was hurt,
And all that gallant cowboy band
Lay wallowing in the dirt.
But still they strove with might and main
Till all the Waller Lot
Was strewn with hair and gouts of gore
All, all for Sissy Knott!
Then cried the maiden in despair:
"Alas, I sadly fear
The battle and my hopes are lost,
Unless some help appear!"
Lo, as she spoke, she saw afar
The rescuer looming up
The pride of all Buena Park,
Clow's famous yellow pup!
"Now, sick'em, Don," the maiden cried,
"Now, sick'em, Don!" cried she;
Obedient Don at once complied
As ordered, so did he.
He sicked'em all so passing well
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE DELECTABLE BALLAD OF THE WALLER LOT 17
Page No 20
That, overcome by fright,
The Indian horde gave up the fray
And safety sought in flight.
They ran and ran and ran and ran
O'er valley, plain, and hill;
And if they are not walking now,
Why, then, they're running still.
The cowboys rose up from the dust
With faces black and blue;
"Remember, beauteous maid," said they,
"We've bled and died for you!"
"And though we suffer grievously,
We gladly hail the lot
That brings us toils and pains and wounds
For charming Sissy Knott!"
But Sissy Knott still wailed and wept,
And still her fate reviled;
For who could patch her dolly up
Who, who could mend her child?
Then out her doting mother came,
And soothed her daughter then;
"Grieve not, my darling, I will sew
Your dolly up again!"
Joy soon succeeded unto grief,
And tears were soon dried up,
And dignities were heaped upon
Clow's noble yellow pup.
Him all that goodly company
Did as deliverer hail
They tied a ribbon round his neck,
Another round his tail.
And every anniversary day
Upon the Waller Lot
They celebrate the victory won
For charming Sissy Knott.
And I, the poet of these folk,
Am ordered to compile
This truly famous history
In good old ballad style.
Which having done as to have earned
The sweet rewards of fame,
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE DELECTABLE BALLAD OF THE WALLER LOT 18
Page No 21
In what same style I did begin
I now shall end the same.
So let us sing: Long live the King,
Long live the Queen and Jack,
Long live the tenspot and the ace,
And also all the pack.
THE STORK
Last night the Stork came stalking,
And, Stork, beneath your wing
Lay, lapped in dreamless slumber,
The tiniest little thing!
From Babyland, out yonder
Beside a silver sea,
You brought a priceless treasure
As gift to mine and me!
Last night my dear one listened
And, wife, you knew the cry
The dear old Stork has sought our home
A many times gone by!
And in your gentle bosom
I found the pretty thing
That from the realm out yonder
Our friend the Stork did bring.
Last night a babe awakened,
And, babe, how strange and new
Must seem the home and people
The Stork has brought you to;
And yet methinks you like them
You neither stare nor weep,
But closer to my dear one
You cuddle, and you sleep!
Last night my heart grew fonder
0 happy heart of mine,
Sing of the inspirations
That round my pathway shine!
And sing your sweetest lovesong
To this dear nestling wee
The Stork from 'WayOutYonder
Hath brought to mine and me!
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE STORK 19
Page No 22
THE BOTTLE TREE
A bottle tree bloometh in Winkyway land
Heighho for a bottle, I say!
A snug little berth in that ship I demand
That rocketh the BottleTree babies away
Where the Bottle Tree bloometh by night and by day
And reacheth its fruit to each wee, dimpled hand;
You take of that fruit as much as you list,
For colic's a nuisance that doesn't exist!
So cuddle me and cuddle me fast,
And cuddle me snug in my cradle away,
For I hunger and thirst for that precious repast
Heighho for a bottle, I say!
The Bottle Tree bloometh by night and by day!
Heighho for Winkyway land!
And BottleTree fruit (as I've heard people say)
Makes bellies of BottleTree babies expand
And that is a trick I would fain understand!
Heighho for a bottle today!
And heighho for a bottle tonight
A bottle of milk that is creamy and white!
So cuddle me close, and cuddle me fast,
And cuddle me snug in my cradle away,
For I hunger and thirst for that precious repast
Heighho for a bottle, I say!
GOOGLYGOO
Of mornings, bright and early,
When the lark is on the wing
And the robin in the maple
Hops from her nest to sing,
From yonder cheery chamber
Cometh a mellow coo
'T is the sweet, persuasive treble
Of my little GooglyGoo!
The sunbeams hear his music,
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE BOTTLE TREE 20
Page No 23
And they seek his little bed,
And they dance their prettiest dances
Round his golden curly head:
Schottisches, galops, minuets,
Gavottes and waltzes, too,
Dance they unto the music
Of my googling GooglyGoo.
My heart my heart it leapeth
To hear that treble tone;
What music like thy music,
My darling and mine own!
And patiently yes, cheerfully
I toil the long day through
My labor seemeth lightened
By the song of GooglyGoo!
I may not see his antics,
Nor kiss his dimpled cheek:
I may not smooth the tresses
The sunbeams love to seek;
It mattereth not the echo
Of his sweet, persuasive coo
Recurreth to remind me
Of my little GooglyGoo.
And when I come at evening,
I stand without the door
And patiently I listen
For that dear sound once more;
And oftentimes I wonder,
"Oh, God! what should I do
If any ill should happen
To my little GooglyGoo!"
Then in affright I call him
I hear his gleeful shouts!
Begone, ye dread forebodings
Begone, ye killing doubts!
For, with my arms about him,
My heart warms through and through
With the oogling and the googling
Of my little GooglyGoo!
THE BENCHLEGGED FYCE
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE BENCHLEGGED FYCE 21
Page No 24
Speakin' of dorgs, my benchlegged fyce
Hed most o' the virtues, an' nary a vice.
Some folks called him Sooner, a name that arose
From his predisposition to chronic repose;
But, rouse his ambition, he couldn't be beat
Yer bet yer he got thar on all his four feet!
Mos' dorgs hez some forte like huntin' an' such,
But the sports o' the field didn't bother him much;
Wuz just a plain dorg, an' contented to be
On peaceable terms with the neighbors an' me;
Used to fiddle an' squirm, and grunt "Oh, how nice!"
When I tickled the back of that benchlegged fyce!
He wuz long in the bar'l, like a fyce oughter be;
His color wuz yaller as ever you see;
His tail, curlin' upward, wuz long, loose, an' slim
When he didn't wag it, why, the tail it wagged him!
His legs wuz so crooked, my benchlegged pup
Wuz as tall settin' down as he wuz standin' up!
He'd lie by the stove of a night an' regret
The various vittles an' things he had et;
When a stranger, most likely a tramp, come along,
He'd lift up his voice in significant song
You wondered, by gum! how there ever wuz space
In that bosom o' his'n to hold so much bass!
Of daytimes he'd sneak to the road an' lie down,
An' tackle the country dorgs comin' to town;
By common consent he wuz boss in St. Joe,
For what he took hold of he never let go!
An' a dude that come courtin' our girl left a slice
Of his white flannel suit with our benchlegged fyce!
He wuz good to us kids when we pulled at his fur
Or twisted his tail he would never demur;
He seemed to enjoy all our play an' our chaff,
For his tongue 'u'd hang out an' he'd laff an' he'd laff;
An' once, when the Hobart boy fell through the ice,
He wuz drug clean ashore by that benchlegged fyce!
We all hev our choice, an' you, like the rest,
Allow that the dorg which you've got is the best;
I wouldn't give much for the boy 'at grows up
With no friendship subsistin' 'tween him an' a pup!
When a fellow gits old I tell you it's nice
To think of his youth and his benchlegged fyce!
To think of the springtime 'way back in St. Joe
Of the peachtrees abloom an' the daisies ablow;
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE BENCHLEGGED FYCE 22
Page No 25
To think of the play in the medder an' grove,
When little legs wrassled an' little han's strove;
To think of the loyalty, valor, an' truth
Of the friendships that hallow the season of youth!
LITTLE MISS BRAG
Little Miss Brag has much to say
To the rich little lady from over the way
And the rich little lady puts out a lip
As she looks at her own white, dainty slip,
And wishes that she could wear a gown
As pretty as gingham of faded brown!
For little Miss Brag she lays much stress
On the privileges of a gingham dress
"Aha,
Oho!"
The rich little lady from over the way
Has beautiful dolls in vast array;
Yet she envies the raggedy homemade doll
She hears our little Miss Brag extol.
For the raggedy doll can fear no hurt
From wet, or heat, or tumble, or dirt!
Her nose is inked, and her mouth is, too,
And one eye's black and the other's blue
"Aha,
Oho!"
The rich little lady goes out to ride
With footmen standing up outside,
Yet wishes that, sometimes, after dark
Her father would trundle her in the park;
That, sometimes, her mother would sing the things
Little Miss Brag says her mother sings
When through the attic window streams
The moonlight full of golden dreams
"Aha,
Oho!"
Yes, little Miss Brag has much to say
To the rich little lady from over the way;
And yet who knows but from her heart
Often the bitter sighs upstart
Uprise to lose their burn and sting
In the grace of the tongue that loves to sing
LoveSongs of Childhood
LITTLE MISS BRAG 23
Page No 26
Praise of the treasures all its own!
So I've come to love that treble tone
"Aha,
Oho!"
THE HUMMING TOP
The top it hummeth a sweet, sweet song
To my dear little boy at play
Merrily singeth all day long,
As it spinneth and spinneth away.
And my dear little boy
He laugheth with joy
When he heareth the monotone
Of that busy thing
That loveth to sing
The song that is all its own.
Hold fast the string and wind it tight,
That the song be loud and clear;
Now hurl the top with all your might
Upon the banquette here;
And straight from the string
The joyous thing
Boundeth and spinneth along,
And it whirrs and it chirrs
And it birrs and it purrs
Ever its pretty song.
Will ever my dear little boy grow old,
As some have grown before?
Will ever his heart feel faint and cold,
When he heareth the songs of yore?
Will ever this toy
Of my dear little boy,
When the years have worn away,
Sing sad and low
Of the long ago,
As it singeth to me today?
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE HUMMING TOP 24
Page No 27
LADY BUTTONEYES
When the busy day is done,
And my weary little one
Rocketh gently to and fro;
When the night winds softly blow,
And the crickets in the glen
Chirp and chirp and chirp again;
When upon the haunted green
Fairies dance around their queen
Then from yonder misty skies
Cometh Lady ButtonEyes.
Through the murk and mist and gloam
To our quiet, cozy home,
Where to singing, sweet and low,
Rocks a cradle to and fro;
Where the clock's dull monotone
Telleth of the day that's done;
Where the moonbeams hover o'er
Playthings sleeping on the floor
Where my weary wee one lies
Cometh Lady ButtonEyes.
Cometh like a fleeting ghost
From some distant eerie coast;
Never footfall can you hear
As that spirit fareth near
Never whisper, never word
From that shadowqueen is heard.
In ethereal raiment dight,
From the realm of fay and sprite
In the depth of yonder skies
Cometh Lady ButtonEyes.
Layeth she her hands upon
My dear weary little one,
And those white hands overspread
Like a veil the curly head,
Seem to fondle and caress
Every little silken tress;
Then she smooths the eyelids down
Over those two eyes of brown
In such soothing, tender wise
Cometh Lady ButtonEyes.
Dearest, feel upon your brow
That caressing magic now;
For the crickets in the glen
LoveSongs of Childhood
LADY BUTTONEYES 25
Page No 28
Chirp and chirp and chirp again,
While upon the haunted green
Fairies dance around their queen,
And the moonbeams hover o'er
Playthings sleeping on the floor
Hush, my sweet! from yonder skies
Cometh Lady ButtonEyes!
THE RIDE TO BUMPVILLE
Play that my knee was a calico mare
Saddled and bridled for Bumpville;
Leap to the back of this steed, if you dare,
And gallop away to Bumpville!
I hope you'll be sure to sit fast in your seat,
For this calico mare is prodigiously fleet,
And many adventures you're likely to meet
As you journey along to Bumpville.
This calico mare both gallops and trots
While whisking you off to Bumpville;
She paces, she shies, and she stumbles, in spots,
In the tortuous road to Bumpville;
And sometimes this strangely mercurial steed
Will suddenly stop and refuse to proceed,
Which, all will admit, is vexatious indeed,
When one is en route to Bumpville!
She's scared of the cars when the engine goes "Toot!"
Down by the crossing at Bumpville;
You'd better look out for that treacherous brute
Bearing you off to Bumpville!
With a snort she rears up on her hindermost heels,
And executes jigs and Virginia reels
Words fail to explain how embarrassed one feels
Dancing so wildly to Bumpville!
It's bumpytybump and it's jiggytyjog,
Journeying on to Bumpville
It's over the hilltop and down through the bog
You ride on your way to Bumpville;
It's rattletybang over boulder and stump,
There are rivers to ford, there are fences to jump,
And the corduroy road it goes bumpytybump,
Mile after mile to bumpville!
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE RIDE TO BUMPVILLE 26
Page No 29
Perhaps you'll observe it's no easy thing
Making the journey to Bumpville,
So I think, on the whole, it were prudent to bring
An end to this ride to Bumpville;
For, though she has uttered no protest or plaint,
The calico mare must be blowing and faint
What's more to the point, I'm blowed if I ain't!
So play we have got to Bumpville!
THE BROOK
I looked in the brook and saw a face
Heighho, but a child was I!
There were rushes and willows in that place,
And they clutched at the brook as the brook ran by;
And the brook it ran its own sweet way,
As a child doth run in heedless play,
And as it ran I heard it say:
"Hasten with me
To the roistering sea
That is wroth with the flame of the morning sky!"
I look in the brook and see a face
Heighho, but the years go by!
The rushes are dead in the oldtime place,
And the willows I knew when a child was I.
And the brook it seemeth to me to say,
As ever it stealeth on its way
Solemnly now, and not in play:
"Oh, come with me
To the slumbrous sea
That is gray with the peace of the evening sky!"
Heighho, but the years go by
I would to God that a child were I!
PICNICTIME
It's June ag'in, an' in my soul I feel the fillin' joy
That's sure to come this time o' year to every little boy;
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE BROOK 27
Page No 30
For, every June, the Sundayschools at picnics may be seen,
Where "fields beyont the swellin' floods stand dressed in livin' green";
Where little girls are skeered to death with spiders, bugs, and ants,
An' little boys get grassstains on their goto meetin' pants.
It's June ag'in, an' with it all what happiness is mine
There's goin' to be a picnic, an' I'm goin' to jine!
One year I jined the Baptists, an' goodness! how it rained!
(But grampa says that that's the way "baptizo" is explained.)
And once I jined the 'Piscopils an' had a heap o' fun
But the boss of all the picnics was the Presbyteriun!
They had so many puddin's, sallids, sandwidges, an' pies,
That a feller wisht his stummick was as hungry as his eyes!
Oh, yes, the eatin' Presbyteriuns give yer is so fine
That when they have a picnic, you bet I'm goin' to jine!
But at this time the Methodists have special claims on me,
For they're goin' to give a picnic on the 21st, D. V.;
Why should a liberal universalist like me object
To share the joys of fellowship with every friendly sect?
However het'rodox their articles of faith elsewise may be,
Their doctrine of fried chick'n is a savin' grace to me!
So on the 21st of June, the weather bein' fine,
They're goin' to give a picnic, and I'm goin' to jine!
SHUFFLESHOON AND AMBERLOCKS
Shuffleshoon and AmberLocks
Sit together, building blocks;
ShuffleShoon is old and gray,
AmberLocks a little child,
But together at their play
Age and Youth are reconciled,
And with sympathetic glee
Build their castles fair to see.
"When I grow to be a man"
(So the wee one's prattle ran),
"I shall build a castle so
With a gateway broad and grand;
Here a pretty vine shall grow,
There a soldier guard shall stand;
And the tower shall be so high,
Folks will wonder, by and by!"
ShuffleShoon quoth: "Yes, I know;
LoveSongs of Childhood
SHUFFLESHOON AND AMBERLOCKS 28
Page No 31
Thus I builded long ago!
Here a gate and there a wall,
Here a window, there a door;
Here a steeple wondrous tall
Riseth ever more and more!
But the years have leveled low
What I builded long ago!"
So they gossip at their play,
Heedless of the fleeting day;
One speaks of the Long Ago
Where his dead hopes buried lie;
One with chubby cheeks aglow
Prattleth of the By and By;
Side by side, they build their blocks
ShuffleShoon and AmberLocks.
THE SHUTEYE TRAIN
Come, my little one, with me!
There are wondrous sights to see
As the evening shadows fall;
In your pretty cap and gown,
Don't detain
The ShutEye train
"Tingaling!" the bell it goeth,
"Toottoot!" the whistle bloweth,
And we hear the warning call:
"All aboard for ShutEye Town!"
Over hill and over plain
Soon will speed the ShutEye train!
Through the blue where bloom the stars
And the Mother Moon looks down
We'll away
To land of Fay
Oh, the sights that we shall see there!
Come, my little one, with me there
'T is a goodly train of cars
All aboard for ShutEye Town!
Swifter than a wild bird's flight,
Through the realms of fleecy light
We shall speed and speed away!
Let the Night in envy frown
What care we
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE SHUTEYE TRAIN 29
Page No 32
How wroth she be!
To the Balowland above us,
To the Balowfolk who love us,
Let us hasten while we may
All aboard for ShutEye Town!
ShutEye Town is passing fair
Golden dreams await us there;
We shall dream those dreams, my dear,
Till the Mother Moon goes down
See unfold
Delights untold!
And in those mysterious places
We shall see beloved faces
And beloved voices hear
In the grace of ShutEye Town.
Heavy are your eyes, my sweet,
Weary are your little feet
Nestle closer up to me
In your pretty cap and gown;
Don't detain
The ShutEye train!
"Tingaling!" the bell it goeth,
"Toottoot!" the whistle bloweth
Oh, the sights that we shall see!
All aboard for ShutEye Town!
LITTLEOH DEAR
See, what a wonderful garden is here,
Planted and trimmed for my LittleOhDear!
Posies so gaudy and grass of such brown
Search ye the country and hunt ye the town
And never ye'll meet with a garden so queer
As this one I've made for my LittleOhDear!
Marigolds white and buttercups blue,
Lilies all dabbled with honey and dew,
The cactus that trails over trellis and wall,
Roses and pansies and violets all
Make proper obeisance and reverent cheer
When into her garden steps LittleOhDear.
And up at the top of that lavendertree
A silverbird singeth as only can she;
LoveSongs of Childhood
LITTLEOH DEAR 30
Page No 33
For, ever and only, she singeth the song
"I love you I love you!" the happy day long;
Then the echo the echo that smiteth me here!
"I love you, I love you," my LittleOhDear!
The garden may wither, the silverbird fly
But what careth my little precious, or I?
From her pathway of flowers that in spring time upstart
She walketh the tenderer way in my heart
And, oh, it is always the summertime here
With that song of "I love you," my LittleOhDear!
THE FLYAWAY HORSE
Oh, a wonderful horse is the FlyAway Horse
Perhaps you have seen him before;
Perhaps, while you slept, his shadow has swept
Through the moonlight that floats on the floor.
For it's only at night, when the stars twinkle bright,
That the FlyAway Horse, with a neigh
And a pull at his rein and a toss of his mane,
Is up on his heels and away!
The Moon in the sky,
As he gallopeth by,
Cries: "Oh! what a marvelous sight!"
And the Stars in dismay
Hide their faces away
In the lap of old Grandmother Night.
It is yonder, out yonder, the FlyAway Horse
Speedeth ever and ever away
Over meadows and lanes, over mountains and plains,
Over streamlets that sing at their play;
And over the sea like a ghost sweepeth he,
While the ships they go sailing below,
And he speedeth so fast that the men at the mast
Adjudge him some portent of woe.
"What ho there!" they cry,
As he flourishes by
With a whisk of his beautiful tail;
And the fish in the sea
Are as scared as can be,
From the nautilus up to the whale!
And the FlyAway Horse seeks those faraway lands
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE FLYAWAY HORSE 31
Page No 34
You little folk dream of at night
Where candytrees grow, and honeybrooks flow,
And cornfields with popcorn are white;
And the beasts in the wood are ever so good
To children who visit them there
What glory astride of a lion to ride,
Or to wrestle around with a bear!
The monkeys, they say:
"Come on, let us play,"
And they frisk in the cocoanuttrees:
While the parrots, that cling
To the peanutvines, sing
Or converse with comparative ease!
Off! scamper to bed you shall ride him tonight!
For, as soon as you've fallen asleep,
With a jubilant neigh he shall bear you away
Over forest and hillside and deep!
But tell us, my dear, all you see and you hear
In those beautiful lands over there,
Where the FlyAway Horse wings his faraway course
With the wee one consigned to his care.
Then grandma will cry
In amazement: "Oh, my!"
And she'll think it could never be so;
And only we two
Shall know it is true
You and I, little precious! shall know!
SWING HIGH AND SWING LOW
Swing high and swing low
While the breezes they blow
It's off for a sailor thy father would go;
And it's here in the harbor, in sight of the sea,
He hath left his wee babe with my song and with me:
"Swing high and swing low
While the breezes they blow!"
Swing high and swing low
While the breezes they blow
It's oh for the waiting as weary days go!
And it's oh for the heartache that smiteth me when
I sing my song over and over again:
"Swing high and swing low
While the breezes they blow!"
LoveSongs of Childhood
SWING HIGH AND SWING LOW 32
Page No 35
"Swing high and swing low "
The sea singeth so,
And it waileth anon in its ebb and its flow;
And a sleeper sleeps on to that song of the sea
Nor recketh he ever of mine or of me!
"Swing high and swing low
While the breezes they blow
'T was off for a sailor thy father would go!"
WHEN I WAS A BOY
Up in the attic where I slept
When I was a boy, a little boy,
In through the lattice the moonlight crept,
Bringing a tide of dreams that swept
Over the low, red trundlebed,
Bathing the tangled curly head,
While moonbeams played at hideandseek
With the dimples on the sunbrowned cheek
When I was a boy, a little boy!
And, oh! the dreams the dreams I dreamed!
When I was a boy, a little boy!
For the grace that through the lattice streamed
Over my folded eyelids seemed
To have the gift of prophecy,
And to bring me glimpses of times to be
When manhood's clarion seemed to call
Ah! that was the sweetest dream of all,
When I was a boy, a little boy!
I'd like to sleep where I used to sleep
When I was a boy, a little boy!
For in at the lattice the moon would peep,
Bringing her tide of dreams to sweep
The crosses and griefs of the years away
From the heart that is weary and faint today;
And those dreams should give me back again
A peace I have never known since then
When I was a boy, a little boy!
LoveSongs of Childhood
WHEN I WAS A BOY 33
Page No 36
AT PLAY
Play that you are mother dear,
And play that papa is your beau;
Play that we sit in the corner here,
Just as we used to, long ago.
Playing so, we lovers two
Are just as happy as we can be,
And I'll say "I love you" to you,
And you say "I love you" to me!
"I love you" we both shall say,
All in earnest and all in play.
Or, play that you are that other one
That some time came, and went away;
And play that the light of years agone
Stole into my heart again today!
Playing that you are the one I knew
In the days that never again may be,
I'll say "I love you" to you,
And you say "I love you" to me!
I love you!" my heart shall say
To the ghost of the past come back today!
Or, play that you sought this nestlingplace
For your own sweet self, with that dual guise
Of your pretty mother in your face
And the look of that other in your eyes!
So the dear old loves shall live anew
As I hold my darling on my knee,
And I'll say "I love you" to you,
And you say "I love you" to me!
Oh, many a strange, true thing we say
And do when we pretend to play!
A VALENTINE
Go, Cupid, and my sweetheart tell
I love her well.
Yes, though she tramples on my heart
And rends that bleeding thing apart;
And though she rolls a scornful eye
On doting me when I go by;
LoveSongs of Childhood
AT PLAY 34
Page No 37
And though she scouts at everything
As tribute unto her I bring
Apple, banana, caramel
Haste, Cupid, to my love and tell,
In spite of all, I love her well!
And further say I have a sled
Cushioned in blue and painted red!
The groceryman has promised I
Can "hitch" whenever he goes by
Go, tell her that, and, furthermore,
Apprise my sweetheart that a score
Of other little girls implore
The boon of riding on that sled
Painted and hitched, as aforesaid;
And tell her, Cupid, only she
Shall ride upon that sled with me!
Tell her this all, and further tell
I love her well.
LITTLE ALLALONEY
Little AllAloney's feet
Pitterpatter in the hall,
And his mother runs to meet
And to kiss her toddling sweet,
Ere perchance he fall.
He is, oh, so weak and small!
Yet what danger shall he fear
When his mother hovereth near,
And he hears her cheering call:
"AllAloney"?
Little AllAloney's face
It is all aglow with glee,
As around that rompingplace
At a terrifying pace
Lungeth, plungeth he!
And that hero seems to be
All unconscious of our cheers
Only one dear voice he hears
Calling reassuringly:
"AllAloney!"
Though his legs bend with their load,
Though his feet they seem so small
LoveSongs of Childhood
LITTLE ALLALONEY 35
Page No 38
That you cannot help forebode
Some disastrous episode
In that noisy hall,
Neither threatening bump nor fall
Little AllAloney fears,
But with sweet bravado steers
Whither comes that cheery call:
"AllAloney!"
Ah, that in the years to come,
When he shares of Sorrow's store,
When his feet are chill and numb,
When his cross is burdensome,
And his heart is sore:
Would that he could hear once more
The gentle voice he used to hear
Divine with mother love and cheer
Calling from yonder spirit shore:
"All, all alone!"
SEEIN' THINGS
I ain't afeard uv snakes, or toads, or bugs, or worms, or mice,
An' things 'at girls are skeered uv I think are awful nice!
I'm pretty brave, I guess; an' yet I hate to go to bed,
For, when I'm tucked up warm an' snug an' when my prayers are said,
Mother tells me "Happy dreams!" and takes away the light,
An' leaves me lyin' all alone an' seein' things at night!
Sometimes they're in the corner, sometimes they're by the door,
Sometimes they're all astandin' in the middle uv the floor;
Sometimes they are asittin' down, sometimes they're walkin' round
So softly an' so creepylike they never make a sound!
Sometimes they are as black as ink, an' other times they're white
But the color ain't no difference when you see things at night!
Once, when I licked a feller 'at had just moved on our street,
An' father sent me up to bed without a bite to eat,
I woke up in the dark an' saw things standin' in a row,
Alookin' at me crosseyed an' p'intin' at me so!
Oh, my! I wuz so skeered that time I never slep' a mite
It's almost alluz when I'm bad I see things at night!
Lucky thing I ain't a girl, or I'd be skeered to death!
Bein' I'm a boy, I duck my head an' hold my breath;
An' I am, oh! so sorry I'm a naughty boy, an' then
LoveSongs of Childhood
SEEIN' THINGS 36
Page No 39
I promise to be better an' I say my prayers again!
Gran'ma tells me that's the only way to make it right
When a feller has been wicked an' sees things at night!
An' so, when other naughty boys would coax me into sin,
I try to skwush the Tempter's voice 'at urges me within;
An' when they's pie for supper, or cakes 'at 's big an' nice,
I want to but I do not pass my plate f'r them things twice!
No, ruther let Starvation wipe me slowly out o' sight
Than I should keep alivin' on an' seein' things at night!
THE CUNNIN' LITTLE THING
When baby wakes of mornings,
Then it's wake, ye people all!
For another day
Of song and play
Has come at our darling's call!
And, till she gets her dinner,
She makes the welkin ring,
And she won't keep still till she's had her fill
The cunnin' little thing!
When baby goes awalking,
Oh, how her paddies fly!
For that's the way
The babies say
To other folk "byby";
The trees bend down to kiss her,
And the birds in rapture sing,
As there she stands and waves her hands
The cunnin' little thing!
When baby goes arocking
In her bed at close of day,
At hideandseek
On her dainty cheek
The dreams and the dimples play;
Then it's sleep in the tender kisses
The guardian angels bring
From the Far Above to my sweetest love
You cunnin' little thing!
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE CUNNIN' LITTLE THING 37
Page No 40
THE DOLL'S WOOING
The little French doll was a dear little doll
Tricked out in the sweetest of dresses;
Her eyes were of hue
A most delicate blue
And dark as the night were her tresses;
Her dear little mouth was fluted and red,
And this little French doll was so very well bred
That whenever accosted her little mouth said
"Mamma! mamma!"
The stockinet doll, with one arm and one leg,
Had once been a handsome young fellow;
But now he appeared
Rather frowzy and bleared
In his torn regimentals of yellow;
Yet his heart gave a curious thump as he lay
In the little toy cart near the window one day
And heard the sweet voice of that French dolly say:
"Mamma! mamma!"
He listened so long and he listened so hard
That anon he grew ever so tender,
For it's everywhere known
That the feminine tone
Gets away with all masculine gender!
He up and he wooed her with soldierly zest
But all she'd reply to the love he professed
Were these plaintive words (which perhaps you have guessed):
"Mamma! mamma!"
Her mother a sweet little lady of five
Vouchsafed her parental protection,
And although stockinet
Wasn't blueblooded, yet
She really could make no objection!
So soldier and dolly were wedded one day,
And a moment ago, as I journeyed that way,
I'm sure that I heard a wee baby voice say:
"Mamma! mamma!"
LoveSongs of Childhood
THE DOLL'S WOOING 38
Page No 41
INSCRIPTION FOR MY LITTLE SON'S SILVER PLATE
When thou dost eat from off this plate,
I charge thee be thou temperate;
Unto thine elders at the board
Do thou sweet reverence accord;
And, though to dignity inclined,
Unto the servingfolk be kind;
Be ever mindful of the poor,
Nor turn them hungry from the door;
And unto God, for health and food
And all that in thy life is good,
Give thou thy heart in gratitude.
FISHERMAN JIM'S KIDS
Fisherman Jim lived on the hill
With his bonnie wife an' his little boys;
'T wuz "Blow, ye winds, as blow ye will
Naught we reck of your cold and noise!"
For happy and warm were he an' his,
And he dandled his kids upon his knee
To the song of the sea.
Fisherman Jim would sail all day,
But, when come night, upon the sands
His little kids ran from their play,
Callin' to him an' wavin' their hands;
Though the wind was fresh and the sea was high,
He'd hear'em you bet above the roar
Of the waves on the shore!
Once Fisherman Jim sailed into the bay
As the sun went down in a cloudy sky,
And never a kid saw he at play,
And he listened in vain for the welcoming cry.
In his little house he learned it all,
And he clinched his hands and he bowed his head
"The fever!" they said.
'T wuz a pitiful time for Fisherman Jim,
With them darlin's adyin' afore his eyes,
Astretchin' their wee hands out to him
LoveSongs of Childhood
INSCRIPTION FOR MY LITTLE SON'S SILVER PLATE 39
Page No 42
An' abreakin' his heart with the oldtime cries
He had heerd so often upon the sands;
For they thought they wuz helpin' his boat ashore
Till they spoke no more.
But Fisherman Jim lived on and on,
Castin' his nets an' sailin' the sea;
As a man will live when his heart is gone,
Fisherman Jim lived hopelessly,
Till once in those years they come an' said:
"Old Fisherman Jim is powerful sick
Go to him, quick!"
Then Fisherman Jim says he to me:
"It's a long, long cruiseyou understand
But over beyont the ragin' sea
I kin see my boys on the shinin' sand
Waitin' to help this ol' hulk ashore,
Just as they used to ah, mate, you know!
In the long ago."
No, sir! he wuzn't afeard to die;
For all night long he seemed to see
His little boys of the days gone by,
An' to hear sweet voices forgot by me!
An' just as the mornin' sun come up
"They're holdin' me by the hands!" he cried,
An' so he died.
"FIDDLEDEEDEE"
There once was a bird that lived up in a tree,
And all he could whistle was "Fiddledeedee"
A very provoking, unmusical song
For one to be whistling the summer day long!
Yet always contented and busy was he
With that vocal recurrence of "Fiddledeedee."
Hard by lived a brave little soldier of four,
That weird iteration repented him sore;
"I prithee, DearMotherMine! fetch me my gun,
For, by our St. Didy! the deed must be done
That shall presently rid all creation and me
Of that ominous bird and his 'Fiddledeedee'!"
Then out came DearMotherMine, bringing her son
LoveSongs of Childhood
"FIDDLEDEEDEE" 40
Page No 43
His awfully truculent little red gun;
The stock was of pine and the barrel of tin,
The "bang" it came out where the bullet went in
The right kind of weapon I think you'll agree
For slaying all fowl that go "Fiddledeedee"!
The brave little soldier quoth never a word,
But he up and he drew a straight bead on that bird;
And, while that vain creature provokingly sang,
The gun it went off with a terrible bang!
Then loud laughed the youth "By my Bottle," cried he,
I've put a quietus on 'Fiddledeedee'!"
Out came then DearMotherMine, saying: "My son,
Right well have you wrought with your little red gun!
Hereafter no evil at all need I fear,
With such a brave soldier as YouMyLove here!"
She kissed the dear boy.
(The bird in the tree
Continued to whistle his "Fiddledeedee")
OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY
Over the hills and far away,
A little boy steals from his morning play
And under the blossoming appletree
He lies and he dreams of the things to be:
Of battles fought and of victories won,
Of wrongs o'erthrown and of great deeds done
Of the valor that he shall prove some day,
Over the hills and far away
Over the hills, and far away!
Over the hills and far away
It's, oh, for the toil the livelong day!
But it mattereth not to the soul aflame
With a love for riches and power and fame!
On, 0 man! while the sun is high
On to the certain joys that lie
Yonder where blazeth the noon of day,
Over the hills and far away
Over the hills, and far away!
Over the hills and far away,
An old man lingers at close of day;
Now that his journey is almost done,
LoveSongs of Childhood
OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY 41
Page No 44
His battles fought and his victories won
The oldtime honesty and truth,
The trustfulness and the friends of youth,
Home and motherwhere are they?
Over the hills and far away
Over the years, and far away!
LoveSongs of Childhood
OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY 42
Bookmarks
1. Table of Contents, page = 3
2. Love-Songs of Childhood, page = 4
3. Eugene Field, page = 4
4. THE ROCK-A-BY LADY, page = 5
5. "BOOH!", page = 6
6. GARDEN AND CRADLE, page = 6
7. THE NIGHT WIND, page = 7
8. KISSING TIME, page = 8
9. JEST 'FORE CHRISTMAS, page = 9
10. BEARD AND BABY, page = 10
11. THE DINKEY BIRD, page = 10
12. THE DRUM, page = 12
13. THE DEAD BABE, page = 13
14. THE HAPPY HOUSEHOLD, page = 14
15. SO, SO, ROCK-A-BY SO!, page = 15
16. THE SONG OF LUDDY-DUD, page = 15
17. THE DUEL, page = 16
18. GOOD-CHILDREN STREET, page = 17
19. THE DELECTABLE BALLAD OF THE WALLER LOT, page = 18
20. THE STORK, page = 22
21. THE BOTTLE TREE, page = 23
22. GOOGLY-GOO, page = 23
23. THE BENCH-LEGGED FYCE, page = 24
24. LITTLE MISS BRAG, page = 26
25. THE HUMMING TOP, page = 27
26. LADY BUTTON-EYES, page = 28
27. THE RIDE TO BUMPVILLE, page = 29
28. THE BROOK, page = 30
29. PICNIC-TIME, page = 30
30. SHUFFLE-SHOON AND AMBER-LOCKS, page = 31
31. THE SHUT-EYE TRAIN, page = 32
32. LITTLE-OH DEAR, page = 33
33. THE FLY-AWAY HORSE, page = 34
34. SWING HIGH AND SWING LOW, page = 35
35. WHEN I WAS A BOY, page = 36
36. AT PLAY, page = 37
37. A VALENTINE, page = 37
38. LITTLE ALL-ALONEY, page = 38
39. SEEIN' THINGS, page = 39
40. THE CUNNIN' LITTLE THING, page = 40
41. THE DOLL'S WOOING, page = 41
42. INSCRIPTION FOR MY LITTLE SON'S SILVER PLATE, page = 42
43. FISHERMAN JIM'S KIDS, page = 42
44. "FIDDLE-DEE-DEE", page = 43
45. OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY, page = 44