A Childs Garden of Verses | Page 5

XIX
System

Every night my prayers I say,
And get my dinner every day;
And
every day that I've been good,
I get an orange after food.
The child that is not clean and neat,
With lots of toys and things to eat,

He is a naughty child, I'm sure--
Or else his dear papa is poor.
X X
A Good Boy

I woke before the morning, I was happy all the day,
I never said an
ugly word, but smiled and stuck to play.
And now at last the sun is going down behind the wood,
And I am
very happy, for I know that I've been good.
My bed is waiting cool and fresh, with linen smooth and fair, And I
must be off to sleepsin-by, and not forget my prayer.
I know that, till to-morrow I shall see the sun arise,
No ugly dream
shall fright my mind, no ugly sight my eyes.
But slumber hold me tightly till I waken in the dawn,
And hear the
thrushes singing in the lilacs round the lawn.
XXI
Escape at Bedtime

The lights from the parlour and kitchen shone out
Through the blinds and the windows and bars;
And high overhead
and all moving about,
There were thousands of millions of stars.
There ne'er were such

thousands of leaves on a tree,
Nor of people in church or the Park,
As the crowds of the stars that
looked down upon me,
And that glittered and winked in the dark.
The Dog, and the Plough, and the Hunter, and all,
And the star of the sailor, and Mars,
These shown in the sky, and the
pail by the wall
Would be half full of water and stars.
They saw me at last, and they
chased me with cries,
And they soon had me packed into bed;
But the glory kept shining
and bright in my eyes,
And the stars going round in my head.
XXII
Marching Song

Bring the comb and play upon it!
Marching, here we come!
Willie cocks his highland bonnet,
Johnnie beats the drum.
Mary Jane commands the party,
Peter leads the rear;
Feet in time, alert and hearty,
Each a Grenadier!
All in the most martial manner
Marching double-quick;
While the napkin, like a banner,

Waves upon the stick!
Here's enough of fame and pillage,
Great commander Jane!
Now that we've been round the village,
Let's go home again.
XXIII