The Posy Ring Part 27

Charles Kingsley

_Dolladine_

This is her picture--Dolladine-- The beautifullest doll that ever was seen!

Oh, what nosegays! Oh, what sashes!

Oh, what beautiful eyes and lashes!

Oh, what a precious perfect pet!

On each instep a pink rosette; Little blue shoes for her little blue tots; Elegant ribbons in bows and knots.

Her hair is powdered; her arms are straight, Only feel, she is quite a weight!

Her legs are limp, though;--stand up, miss!-- What a beautiful b.u.t.toned-up mouth to kiss!

William Brighty Rands.

_Dressing the Doll_

This is the way we dress the Doll:-- You may make her a shepherdess, the Doll, If you give her a crook with a pastoral hook, But this is the way we dress the Doll.

CHORUS.

Bless the Doll, you may press the Doll, But do not crumple and mess the Doll!

This is the way we dress the Doll.

First, you observe her little chemise, As white as milk, with ruches of silk; And the little drawers that cover her knees.

As she sits or stands, with golden bands, And lace in beautiful filagrees.

CHORUS.

Bless the Doll, you may press the Doll, But do not crumple or mess the Doll!

This is the way we dress the Doll.

Now these are the bodies: she has two, One of pink, with ruches of blue, And sweet white lace; be careful, do!

And one of green, with b.u.t.tons of sheen, b.u.t.tons and bands of gold, I mean, With lace on the border in lovely order, The most expensive we can afford her!

CHORUS.

Bless the Doll, you may press the Doll, But do not crumple or mess the Doll!

This is the way we dress the Doll.

Then, with black at the border, jacket And this--and this--she will not lack it; Skirts? Why, there are skirts, of course, And shoes and stockings we shall enforce, With a proper bodice, in the proper place (Stays that lace have had their days And made their martyrs); likewise garters, All entire. But our desire Is to show you her night attire, At least a part of it. Pray admire This sweet white thing that she goes to bed in!

It's not the one that's made for her wedding; _That_ is special, a new design, Made with a charm and a countersign, Three times three and nine times nine: These are only her usual clothes: Look, _there's_ a wardrobe! gracious knows It's pretty enough, as far as it goes!

So you see the way we dress the Doll: You might make her a shepherdess, the Doll, If you gave her a crook with a pastoral hook, With sheep, and a shed, and a shallow brook, And all that, out of the poetry-book.

CHORUS.

Bless the Doll, you may press the Doll, But do not crumple and mess the Doll!

This is the way we dress the Doll; If you had not seen, could you guess the Doll?

William Brighty Rands.

_The Pedlar's Caravan_

I wish I lived in a caravan, With a horse to drive, like a pedlar-man!

Where he comes from n.o.body knows, Or where he goes to, but on he goes!

His caravan has windows two, And a chimney of tin, that the smoke comes through; He has a wife, with a baby brown, And they go riding from town to town.

Chairs to mend, and delf to sell!

He clashes the basins like a bell; Tea-trays, baskets ranged in order, Plates with the alphabet round the border!

The roads are brown, and the sea is green, But his house is just like a bathing-machine; The world is round, and he can ride, Rumble and splash, to the other side!

With the pedlar-man I should like to roam, And write a book when I came home; All the people would read my book, Just like the Travels of Captain Cook!

William Brighty Rands.

_A Sea-Song from the Sh.o.r.e_

Hail! Ho!

Sail! Ho!

Ahoy! Ahoy! Ahoy!

Who calls to me, So far at sea?

Only a little boy!

Sail! Ho!

Hail! Ho!

The sailor he sails the sea: I wish he would capture a little sea-horse And send him home to me.

I wish, as he sails Through the tropical gales, He would catch me a sea-bird, too, With its silver wings And the song it sings, And its breast of down and dew!

I wish he would catch me a Little mermaid, Some island where he lands, With her dripping curls, And her crown of pearls, And the looking-gla.s.s in her hands!