A Jolly Jingle-Book | Page 3

is growing late;?The very most exciting place?Is just half after eight.
[Illustration: The Bedtime Story-Book]
THE BROWNIES
The little Bad Luck Brownies,?They cry and pout and frown;?They pucker up a crying-mouth,?And pull the corners down;?They blot the smile from every face?And hush the happy song--?The little Bad Luck Brownies?That make the world go wrong!
The little Good Luck Brownies,?They sing and laugh and shout;?If any cloud of trouble comes,?They turn it inside out?To show the silver lining?That's always, always there,--?The little Good Luck Brownies?That make the world so fair!
[Illustration: Bad Luck and Good Luck Brownies]
HER ANSWER
It was an easy question and Margie thought it so,?An easy one to answer, as any one would know.?She smiled and smiled again as it hung upon the wall:?"In going to school what do you like the very best of all?" Then grew a little sober as she began to write,?With wrinkles on her forehead and lips a little tight.?She wrote her answer carefully, with look so grave and wise, She minded all her capitals and dotted all her I's,?She crossed her T's precisely, she smiled a little more?At all the pleasant images the pleasant question bore?Of all the merry, laughing hours, and all the joyous play-- "The thing I like the best of all in school--a holiday."
SIDNEY DAYRE.
A TROUBLESOME DAUGHTER
Angelica Sue is the carelessest child!?The trouble she makes me is perfectly fearful.?I told her this morning, but she only smiled,?And swung in her hammock, and looked just as cheerful.?I'm sure I should feel I had nothing to do,?If some one adopted Angelica Sue.
It's always Angelica falls in the dust,?Angelica's frock that gets torn on the fences,?The other dolls sit as I tell them they must,?But when she comes out, then the trouble commences.?Wherever I go, or whatever I do,?She's sure to be with me--Angelica Sue.
Oh, nobody knows how I work for that child!?But once, when I spoke of her ways to my brother,?He said, and he looked at us both, and he smiled,?"Angelica Susan takes after her mother!"?I've wondered since then if it really can be?Angelica Sue is a little like me.
HANNAH G. FERNALD.
THE RACE
Across the field and down the hill?I ran a race with Cousin Will,?And lost my shoe, I ran so fast,?And that is why I came in last.
But Cousin Will would try once more?Across the field down to the shore.?This time all would have ended well,?Only I stubbed my toe and fell.
And then we raced across the yard,?And though I ran as swift and hard?As Cousin Will, yet some way he?Got to the place ahead of me.
Will says to lose is no disgrace,?That trying really makes a race.?Twas trying, he says, made the fun,?That all we wanted was the run.
ALICE TURNER CURTIS.
A BIG PLAYFELLOW
It's lots of fun down in the grass,?A-watching all the things that pass!?You won't come too? I wonder why?It's fun a-playing with the sky!
I guess you are too tall to see;?If you would come down here with me,?And just _ungrow_ a little, you?Could see just what you wanted to.
Such big cloud-ships with sails spread out?To catch the breeze that's all about!?And big gray birds with soft cloud-wings,?And wolves and bears and tiger things!
Just lying down here in the grass,?I've seen about a million pass;?They creep and run and sail and fly--?It's fun a-playing with the sky!
[Illustration: A Big Playfellow]
HAYING TIME
In haying-time my grandpa says?I'm lots of use to him;?I take my nice new wheelbarrow?and fill it to the brim;?The big team comes out, too, and?takes the hay-cocks one by one,?And that and my new wheelbarrow?soon get the haying done.
F. LILEY-YOUNG.
NOBODY
"Nobody b'oke it! It cracked itself;?It was clear 'way up on the toppest shelf.?I--p'rhaps the kitty-cat knows!"?Says poor little Ned,?With his ears as red?As the heart of a damask rose.
_Nobody_ lost it. I carefully?Put my cap just where it ought to be?(No, 'tisn't ahind the door),?And it went and hid,?Why, of course it did,?For I've hunted an hour or more.
"_Nobody tore it_! You know things will?Tear if you're sitting just stock stone still!?I was just jumping over the fence--?There's some spikes on top,?And you have to drop?Before you can half commence."
Nobody! Wicked Sir Nobody!?Playing such tricks on my children three!?If I but set eyes on you,?You should find what you've lost!--?But that, to my cost,?I never am like to do!
[Illustration: Nobody]
MY GARDEN
I have a little garden?All edged with four-o'clocks;?And some of it is sunflowers,?And some is hollyhocks.
And all around the border?I've planted little stones--?A lot of round beach pebbles--?To keep out Rover's bones.
And then, as plain as daylight,?A sign, "Keep off the grass,"?Warns hens and everybody?That here they shouldn't pass.
But Rover makes his pantry?Right in that garden patch;?And all the hens and chickens?Think that's the place to scratch.
ANNA BURNHAM BRYANT.
MAMMA'S LITTLE HOUSEMAID
I am mamma's little housemaid, don't you see??They couldn't get along so well if it were not for me;?For every Friday morning