In My Nursery Part 31

We know, at the touch of your garment's fold, May, my dear, The daisies come starring with white and gold The way, my dear; We know that the painted blossoms all Come starting up at your gentle call, By dale and meadow and garden wall, May, my dear.

We know that your birds have the sweetest tune, May, my dear; And lovers love best beneath your moon, They say, my dear.

And I might add that your perfumed kiss Is considered productive of highest bliss; But you must be so tired of hearing this.

Eh, my dear?

No, I really don't think there's anything fresh Or new, my dear; For life is short, and available rhymes Are few, my dear.

So if I say nought about vernal bowers, And forbear to mention the sunlit showers, I think I shall make the best use of my powers.

Don't you, my dear?

And yet--yet I cannot help loving you so, May, my dear, That the old words, whether I will or no, I say, my dear.

And how you are fair, and how you are sweet, My loving lips forever repeat,-- And is this the reason you pa.s.s so fleet?

Ah, stay, my dear!

GREGORY GRIGGS.

Gregory Griggs, Gregory Griggs, Had forty-seven different wigs; He wore them up, and he wore them down, To please the people of Boston town.

He wore them east, and he wore them west, But he never could tell which he liked the best.

A NURSERY TRAGEDY.

It was a lordly elephant, His name, his name was Sprite; He stood upon the nursery floor, All ready for a fight.

He looked upon the rocking-horse, Who proudly prancing stood: "O rocking-horse! O shocking horse!

I'm thirsting for your blood!

"How dare you stand and look at me, You ugly snorting thing?

Know, that of every living beast, The elephant is king!

"And if a person looks at me, Unless I give him leave, He's very apt to meet his death Too swiftly for reprieve.

"You are the most unpleasant beast I e'er have looked on yet; Although the stupid children here Will make of you a pet.

"I hate your tail of waving hair!

I hate your bits of bra.s.s!

But more, oh, more than all, I hate Your gleaming eyes of gla.s.s!

"Were you of cotton-flannel made, As nursery beasts should be, With eyes of good black boot-b.u.t.tons, You then might look at me.

"I might forgive your want of tusks, Your lack of trunk forgive; But that wild, goggling, gla.s.sy glare-- No! never, while I live!

"So get you gone, you rocking-horse!

Go to your closet-shed, And there, behind the wood-basket, Conceal your ugly head!"

But as the elephant thus did scold And rage and fume and roar, The rocking-horse rocked over him, And crushed him to the floor.

THE UMBRELLA BRIGADE

"Pitter patter!" falls the rain On the school-room window-pane.

Such a plas.h.i.+ng! such a das.h.i.+ng!

Will it e'er be dry again?

Down the gutter rolls a flood, And the crossing's deep in mud; And the puddles! oh, the puddles Are a sight to stir one's blood!

_Chorus._

But let it rain Tree-toads and frogs, Muskets and pitchforks, Kittens and dogs!

Dash away! plash away!

Who is afraid?

Here we go, The Umbrella Brigade!

Pull the boots up to the knee!

Tie the hoods on merrily!

Such a hustling! such a jostling!

Out of breath with fun are we.

Clatter, clatter, down the street, Greeting every one we meet, With our laughing and our chaffing, Which the laughing drops repeat.

_Chorus._

So let it rain Tree-toads and frogs, Muskets and pitchforks, Kittens and dogs!

Dash away! plash away!

Who is afraid?

Here we go, The Umbrella Brigade!

THE PRINCESS IN SATURN AND THE RED MAN IN MARS.

There once was a princess both fair and tall, Who did not live on this earth at all.

She lived up in Saturn, And she was a pattern Of every accomplishment, great and small; The graces and virtues, she had them all.

Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, she had them pat; And she played on the sackbut! think of that!

And she sang so sweet, All the birds at her feet With envy and sorrow fell down quite flat; I've been told they fell down quite remarkably flat.

Now all the princes and all the kings Who lived in Saturn and all his rings, They came and knelt Where the princess dwelt; And they brought her all sorts of beautiful things,-- Oh! quite an a.s.sortment of elegant things.