Mary Mapes Dodge

“ Eight little baby ducks, bound for a swim!
One little white duck, holding up its wings,
One little bobbing duck, making water-rings,
One little black duck, turning round its head,
One big black duck—guess he's gone to bed.
One little white duck, running from the water,
One very fat duck—pretty little daughter!
One very brave duck, swimming off alone,
One little white duck, standing on a stone.
One little white duck, walking by its mother;
Look among the water-reeds, maybe there's another.
Not another anywhere? surely you are blind.
Push away the grass, dear; ducks are hard to find. ”

“ One gay little star was so amused,
That he shot across the sky;
And all the others bobbed and blinked
To see him go speeding by.
But after awhile, a rosy light
Appeared on the eastern side;
And, one by one, the stars grew shy,
And tried in the sky to hide.
"Ho! ho!" the sun broke forth. "Ho! ho!
Just stay where you are, my dears,
And shine away, for you can't be seen
[253] When all of my light appears.
"The people below will say you are gone,
Though you're shining. Think of that!
Well, they thought all night I had left the sky,
So it's only tit for tat." ”

“ One came to my side. Very sadly she said,
'There's a stranger in here.' I lifted my head,
And looked at the poor shabby girl with disdain.
'Tis not she,' said the angel; 'the haughty and vain
Are the strangers at church. She is humble and true.'
Then I cried out aloud, and the minister spoke,
And just as they floated away I awoke,
And there sat that dear little girl in our pew! ”

“ On the grass a shadow lies;
Bye, baby, bye!
Bye, baby, birds are sleeping;
One by one the stars are peeping;
Bye, baby, bye!
In the far-off sky they twinkle,
While the cows come tinkle, tinkle;
Bye, baby, bye!
Bye, baby, mother holds thee;
Loving, tender care infolds thee;
Bye, baby, bye!
Angels in thy dreams caress thee;
Through the darkness guard and bless thee;
Bye, baby, bye!
[9]
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SNOW.
Little white feathers, filling the air—
Little white feathers! how came ye there?
"We came from the cloud-birds sailing so high;
They're shaking their white wings up in the sky." ”

“ In the cold and the dark.
The chord of existence had snapt, they averred,
In trying to utter one sweet little word.
And, as over his body his weeping sire hung,
'Twas plain to be seen,
From that mouth's very mien,
That the last mournful sound of his life had been—Gung!
Oh! gentlemen far, and gentlemen near,
And striplings fair, and children dear,
Be warned by the mournful tale, heigho! ”

“ Gluck! gluck! From under a log,
Squatting and leaping, comes Flucky the Frog.
Wide is his mouth, and spreading his toes;
Very elastic and shiny his clothes;
Though lofty his jumpings and brazen his stare,
He sees not the Hummer that flits in the air. ”

“ And the Gung girls, in turn, every one of them, flouted.
"What, choose me a wife!
Does he think I'm a fool?
No, my motto for life
Is: one frog to a pool.
Shall I yield up my freedom—be tied to a log?
Not I, by my jumps!" quoth this prig of a frog.
"Miss Gung, sir, for all I'll prevent, gug-a-loo!
May sing till they carry me,
'No one will marry me,
Nobody, nobody's coming to woo!'"
VI.
I must tell you; old Gluck, with his puddle so fair,
Was known by the banks as mud-millionaire.
So, young Gluck (who you know, was his first son and heir) ”

“ You have had all the rest: leave me one little boy!
He halts! He will stop! No; the fall of the sand
In the hour-glass deceived me. It seemed at a stand.
But whom have we here? Jamie! Harry! how? why
Just as many as ever—and Time passing by?
I can hardly believe it. But surely it's clear
My babies, my toddlers, my school-boys are here!
And I've two great big fellows (one lithe and one tall)
Besides all the rest—and more precious than all,
Jamie, my bouncer, my man-boy, my pride! ”

“ For wheezings, and paper that always would fall,
For oh! such loud music, or no note at all.
'Twas sweet to their ears, as fondly they heard
This musical strain coming forth, word for word:
"W-h-h-wome, w-h-h-wome, szzzeeet, zhhweet zome,
Bheet wev zo hhumble, therzzz nho blazzze liew zhhome!"
Now they are grown, and sing in the choir
Of their own village church with the beautiful spire;
So sweet are her notes, so perfect her skill,
Not a bird of the air but might envy her trill,
Not a wind of the night but right gladly would know
How to make his rich music so plaintive and low. ”

“ Oh! weep, poor Miss Gung! for there never shall be
In thy home of the lilies a lover for thee.
Thy sun goeth down with never a glow,
He hath frowned on thy fate,
On thy maiden estate,
And the one whom thou lovest is lying all low!
II.
Ha! what is this coming? what wreck do they spy?
What driverless rat-steeds are these rushing by?
"Our child!" cried the mother; "oh! fly to him, fly!"
These words to old Gluck,
And that mother fell dead ”

“ Some one we cannot hear,
Some one we cannot see,
Shakes the baby,
Wakes the baby,
Makes him laugh with glee.
————————
A STRANGER IN THE PEW.
Poor little Bessie! She tossed back her curls,
And, though she is often the sweetest of girls,
This was something she couldn't and wouldn't endure;
'Twas the meanest, most impolite act, she was sure,
And a thing, she declared, that she never would do:
To go to a church where one didn't belong,
Then walk down the aisle like the best in the throng,
And seat one's self plump in another one's pew. ”

“ The little one now began.
His mother's nod and sanction sweet
Had led him close to the dear Lord's feet,
And his words like music ran.
"Thank you for making this home so nice,
The flowers, and folks, and my two white mice
(I wish I could keep right on) .
I thank you too for every day—
Only I'm 'most too glad to pray
Dear God, I think I am done.
"Now, mamma, rock me—just a minute—
And sing the hymn with 'darling' in it.
I wish I could say my prayers!
When I get big, I know I can,
Oh! won't it be nice to be a man,
And stay all night down stairs!" ”

“ Though too wide by far
For one single frog, not another would hold.
VII.
But when did the heartless, disdainful, and flat
Live on, unrebuked by this world's tit for tat?
And why did our frog trust his fate to a rat? ”

“ Good-morning to every one, pussy as well:
Does he sleep like the rest, till he hears the first bell?
Good-morning it is, for the sky is all blue,
The grass is just shining and sparkling with dew;
The birdies are singing their merriest song,
And the air through the window comes sunny and strong. ”

“ Can you be so frisky and full of fun?—
With all your mishaps, you are never a spoon—
You're as brave as a lion and wise as a coon."
"Well, well, young master, maybe it's so,
And maybe it isn't. But this I know:
It just brings trouble and mischief and slaughter,
To be fussin' around where one hadn't ought ter." ”

“ One little pig-tail. Now, where is that?
One little crown-piece; cap, is it, or hat?
Four little blue eyes, and three little chicks;
Five little kittens full of pretty tricks.
Kitty-kits, pig-tail, blue eyes, and bed;
Chicks, cat, and crown-piece top of baby's head;
Dish, tricks, and downy paws being licked so clean,
All, in the picture, are plainly to be seen.
————————
Some are starving, some are filling,
Some are lazy, and some are willing,
Some are frowzy, and others are curled,
It takes all kinds, sir, to make a world. ”

“ One bright autumn morning,
Just three years ago, he went to the war—
Went out to battle for you and your country:
And then he never came home any more.
"Nevermore labored with hod and with trowel,
Never came back with his joke and his song.
Mother would know only working and weeping
[249] If I were not sunny and careless, and strong.
She chides me and kisses me, beats me and blesses,
And prays to the saints that her boy may be good;
But for work, she would keep me as fresh as a daisy,
Not ragged and soiled, in my babyhood."—
Say no more, Willie! ”

“ For children what could be better as a Christmas gift than a copy of Mrs. Dodge's Hans Brinker; or, the Silver Skates, of which we are now given a new and beautiful edition? This is one of the most charming of juvenile stories, dealing with fresh scenes and a strange life, and told with sweet simplicity and great beauty. ”

“ Sunny fields and drear morasses,
Silent plains and busy towns,
Yankee meadows, English downs,—
Whether crowded, lone or wild,
So it holds one little child,—
Every spot, he knows by heart;
What if half the world apart? ”

“ Yes, come right to this very house,
While every one's asleep!"
Now, Bessie's eyes grew wide, to hear.
"Let's keep awake," she cried, "and so
We'll see one come and see one go—
Two years at once! Won't that be queer? ”

“ And the queer little turkeys and ducks.
The tad-poles are coming—hurrah!
[202] With their comical, wriggling tails:
The tad-poles are coming—hurrah! hurrah!
Like little mites of whales.
The crickets are coming—hurrah!
And katydids always so funny:
And fire-flies too—hurrah! hurrah!
And bumble-bees laden with honey.
The ant-hills are coming—hurrah!
What fun to see them rise:
The ant-hills are coming—hurrah! hurrah!
They're growing before our eyes. ”

“ Ech-ka cock-a-doodle doo—
Go 'way, dog! Who cares for you?
Now he's at the ducks—O look!
[213] See them waddle to the brook.
Quack! quack! quack! quack!
Doggie cannot drive them back.
Turkey gobbler, chase him now;
Chase him, turkeys! Bow, wow, wow!
Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble!
Bow, wow, wow—gobble, gobble!
Sting him, bees! The naughty doggie!
Jump upon him, great big froggie!
Buzz, buzz, gluck, gluck:
Now, old doggie, where's your pluck?
There, they've bothered you enough—
And you're sorry, poor old Buff?
Bow, wow, wow, wow,
Come and play with Baby now. ”

“ But one thing scares him, I've been told;
"I'm afraid when a youngster wastes his crust,
He'll never be thrifty," says Can-an'-must.
Old Can-an'-must is a giant bold,
And only one thing makes him scold:
"If I catch a youngster leaving a crust,
I'll gobble him up!" says Can-an'-must. ”

“ With some one sitting at the blinds
[134] To watch you while you play;
"I often see her look up quick,
And smile at some one there;
And when she laughs and hides away,
She knows some one will care.
"Why didn't Doctor Bishop cure
My mother, dear papa?
That's what he did one time, you know,
For Lulu Hart's mamma.
"Say, papa, was God good to take
My own mamma away?
For I was just a baby then—
Papa, why don't you say?"
"Yes, always good," he sobbed. "Mamma
Is very happy, dear."
His little girl sprang up, nor cared
Another word to hear.
"Why, papa! crying? Please don't cry. ”

“ We can bathe and swim and dive:
The summer is coming—hurrah! hurrah!
Oh! it's jolly to be alive!
It's jolly to live—hurrah!
Let us all be good and glad:
It's the grandest world—hurrah! hurrah!
That ever we children have had.
[204]
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LITTLE WHIMPY.
Whimpy, little Whimpy
Cried so hard one day,
His Grandma couldn't stand it,
And his mother ran away;
His sister climbed the hay-mow,
His father went to town,
And cook flew to the neighbor's,
In her shabby, kitchen gown.
Whimpy, little Whimpy
[205] Stood out in the sun
And cried until the chickens
And ducks began to run ”

“ Either Tightskin or Squatt will be better than Paff—"
But Eng never heard,
He had left at the word,
Bound, of course, for the third of that medical staff.
IV.
"Oh! look at me, son! Oh! lift up your head!
And don't lie so limp, for you fill me with dread
For pity's sake, hear me. Your mother is dead!"
"Dead!" gasped Master Gluck,
"And I lying here?
Oh! why will these mothers
Step out of their sphere?
If ever I needed good nursing 'tis now,
And your masculine paw, sir, it scratches my brow.
I need some one gentle—more gentle than air—
O father! I fear
I am injured in here." ”

“ Cousin Gluck, on my word,
With a family team, sir,
Would not have occurred.
This thinking and plotting for self all the while,
And frisking about, sir, in bachelor style,
With no one to nurse you when hurt, sir, don't pay."
"Good doctor," moaned froggy,
"It isn't too late,
Even now she'd consent
To soften my fate.
Oh Eng! dear, run off for Miss Gung, right away."
[189]
VIII.
These words were his last. He never moved more,
But lay through the starlight, all fainting and sore
(And those weary night-watchers, how rasping their snore) ! ”

“ The greatest of men is the hunter!
There's Cummings the bold lion-tamer,
And fearless, undaunted Gérard,
And Baldwin, by tigers made lamer,
[233] And Speke with his cámelopard.
And one of those days 't will be Tremble,—
Most famous of all, I'll be bound,—
The great lion-crusher, young Tremble,
None equal to him the world round. ”

“ I'm nothing at all but a senseless block
Whenever his beautiful rays depart;
But ask my neighbor, the Four-o'clock;
She carries the time o' day in her heart."
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Some one in the garden murmurs all the day;
Some one in the garden moans the night away;
Deep in the pine-trees, hidden from our sight,
He murmurs all day, and moans all the night.
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Wire-locks, Curly-pate, Tangle, and Floss,
To make some fine curls they were quite at a loss,
Till they found them a field of the bright dandelion,
And made the green ringlets with only half trying. ”

“ Till the lambkins bleat a soft "good-night!"
And birds grow still in the tree-tops bright,
While sweet little eyelids, all over the land,
Droop with the weight of the silvery sand.
Oho! Oho! where the Sand Man goes
Every one wonders and nobody knows ”

“ The queer little, kind little, elfish rover!
And whence he comes, and whither he goes,
Every one wonders, and nobody knows;
For just when the right time comes to peep,
All the children are falling asleep. ”