Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

And, shivering on the corner, stood

A child of four, or over;

No cloak or hat her small, soft arms
And wind-blown curls to cover;

Her dimpled face was stained with tears;
Her round blue eyes ran over ;
She cherished in her wee, cold hand
A bunch of faded clover.

And, one hand round her treasure, while
She slipped in mine the other,
Half-scared, half-confidential, said,

66

66

'Oh! please, I want my mother."

'Tell me your street and number, pet.

Don't cry I'll take you to it."

:

Sobbing, she answered, "I forget:
The organ made me do it.

"He came and played at Miller's step, -
The monkey took the money;

I followed down the street because
That monkey was so funny.

I've walked about a hundred hours

From one street to another;

The monkey 's gone; I've spoilt my flowers ;Oh please I want my mother."

"But what's your mother's name? and what The street? Now think a minute."

[blocks in formation]

Or new,

not like the others?"

“I guess you mean my trundle-bed,

Mine and my little brother's.

"Oh dear! I ought to be at home
To help him say his prayers,-
He's such a baby he forgets;

And we are both such players;
And there's a bar between to keep
From pitching on each other,
For Harry rolls when he 's asleep :
Oh dear! I want my mother."

The sky grew stormy; people passed
All muffled, homeward faring.
"You'll have to spend the night with me,"
I said at last, despairing.

I tied a kerchief round her neck :

"What ribbon's this, my blossom? "
"Why, don't you know!" she, smiling, said,
And drew it from her bosom.

A card with number, street, and name!

66

My eyes astonished met it ;

For," said the little one, "you see

I might some time forget it,

And so I wear a little thing
That tells you all about it;

For mother says she 's very sure,

I should get lost without it."

Eliza Sproat Turner.

THE JOHNNY-CAKE.

LITTLE Sarah she stood by her grandmother's bed, "And what shall I get for your breakfast?" she said. "You shall get me a johnny-cake: quickly go make it, In one minute mix, and in two minutes bake it.”

So Sarah she went to the closet to see

If yet any meal in the barrel might be.

The barrel had long time been empty as wind;

Not a speck of the bright yellow meal could she find. But grandmother's johnny-cake-still she must make it, In one minute mix, and in two minutes bake it.

She ran to the shop; but the shopkeeper said,

[ocr errors]

"I have none
you must go to the miller, fair maid;
For he has a mill, and he'll put the corn in it,
And grind you some nice yellow meal in a minute;
But run, or the johnny-cake, how will you make it,
In one minute mix, and in two minutes bake it?"

Then Sarah she ran every step of the way,
But the miller said, "No, I have no meal to-day;
Run, quick, to the cornfield, just over the hill,
And if any be there, you may fetch it to mill.
Run, run, or the johnny-cake, how will you make it,
In one minute mix, and in two minutes bake it?"

She ran to the cornfield - the corn had not grown,

[ocr errors]

Though the sun in the blue sky all pleasantly shone.

"Pretty sun," cried the maiden, "please make the corn grow."

66

'Pretty maid," the sun answered, "I cannot do so."

"Then grandmother's johnny-cake, how shall I make it,

In one minute mix, and in two minutes bake it?"

Then Sarah looked round, and she saw what was wanted;
The corn could not grow, for no corn had been planted.
She asked of the farmer to sow her some grain,
But the farmer he laughed till his sides ached again.
"Ho! ho! for the johnny-cake, how can you make it,
In one minute mix, and in two minutes bake it?"

[ocr errors]

The farmer he laughed, and he laughed out aloud,

66

And how can I plant till the earth has been ploughed ? Run, run to the ploughman, and bring him with speed; He'll plough up the ground, and I'll fill it with seed." Away, then, ran Sarah, still hoping to make it,

In one minute mix, and in two minutes bake it.

The ploughman he ploughed, and the grain it was sowni,
And the sun shed his rays till the corn was all grown.
It was ground at the mill, and again in her bed
These words to poor Sarah the grandmother said :
"You shall get me a johnny-cake- quickly go make it,
In one minute mix, and in two minutes bake it."

THANKSGIVING-DAY.

OVER the river and through the wood,
To grandfather's house we go ;
The horse knows the way

To carry the sleigh

Through the white and drifted snow.

Over the river and through the wood

Oh, how the wind does blow!

It stings the toes

And bites the nose,

As over the ground we go.

Over the river and through the wood,

To have a first-rate play.

Hear the bells ring,

"Ting-a-ling-ding!"

Hurrah for Thanksgiving-Day!

[graphic]

Over the river and through the wood
Trot fast, my dapple-gray!
Spring over the ground,

Like a hunting-hound!

For this is Thanksgiving-Day.

Over the river and through the wood,
And straight through the barn-yard gate.
We seem to go
Extremely slow, -

It is so hard to wait!

Over the river and through the wood

Now grandmother's cap I spy!

Hurrah for the fun!

Is the pudding done? Hurrah for the pumpkin-pie!

L. Maria Child.

« AnteriorContinuar »