Phebe, The Blackberry Girl

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Title: Phebe, The Blackberry Girl
Author: Edward Livermore
Release Date: February 18, 2004 [EBook #11147]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
0. START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PHEBE, THE
BLACKBERRY GIRL ***
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UNCLE THOMAS' STORIES
FOR
GOOD CHILDREN
PHEBE,
THE
BLACKBERRY GIRL.
[Illustration]
EDWARD LIVERMORE.
WORCESTER.
UNCLE THOMAS'S
STORIES
FOR
GOOD CHILDREN
[Illustration: UNCLE THOMAS.]
PHEBE,
THE BLACKBERRY GIRL.
[Illustration]
1850.

INTRODUCTION.
Uncle Thomas's Stories for Good Children.
The design of this series of unpretending
little books, is, to give to the

Young information, joined with amusement.
They are prepared for young children,
and if, from the reading of
these stories,
they acquire a love for good books, the
compiler's
object will be accomplished.
[Illustration]
CONTENTS
THE BLACKBERRY GIRL, PART I.
THE BLACKBERRY GIRL, PART II.
GOOD CHILDREN
POOR CRAZY ROBERT
THE PET LAMB
FATHER WILLIAM AND THE YOUNG MAN
THE LITTLE GIRL AND HER PETS
THE FLOWERS
THE CHILD AND THE FLOWERS
ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE
WASHING AND DRESSING
THE INDUSTRIOUS BOY

WE ARE SEVEN
THE IDLE BOY
CASABLANCA
TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR
[Illustration: Phebe, the Blackberry Girl]
THE BLACKBERRY GIRL.
PART I.
"Why, Phebe, are you come so soon,
Where are your berries, child?

You cannot, sure, have sold them all,
You had a basket pil'd."
"No, mother, as I climb'd the fence,
The nearest way to town,
My
apron caught upon a stake,
And so I tumbled down."
"I scratched my arm, and tore my hair,
But still did not complain;

And had my blackberries been safe,
Should not have cared a grain.
[Illustration: Phebe and her Mother.]
"But when I saw them on the ground
All scattered by my side,
I
pick'd my empty basket up,
And down I sat and cried.
"Just then a pretty little Miss
Chanced to be walking by;
She
stopp'd, and looking pitiful,
She begg'd me not to cry.
"'Poor little girl, you fell,' said she,
'And must be sadly hurt'--
'O,
no,' I cried, 'but see my fruit,
All mixed with sand and dirt!'
"'Well, do not grieve for that,' she said:
'Go home, and get some
more:'
Ah, no, for I have stripp'd the vines,
These were the last they
bore.

"My father, Miss, is very poor,
And works in yonder stall;
He has so many little ones,
He cannot clothe us all.
"I always long'd to go to church,
But never could I go;
For when I
ask'd him for a gown,
He always answer'd, 'No.'
"'There's not a father in the world
That loves his children more;
I'd
get you one with all my heart,
But, Phebe, I am poor.'
"But when the blackberries were ripe
He said to me one day,
'Phebe,
if you will take the time
That's given you for play,
"And gather blackberries enough,--
And carry them to town,--
To
buy your bonnet and your shoes,
I'll try to get a gown.'
[Illustration: Phebe and Billy going to School.]
"O Miss, I fairly jumped for joy,
My spirits were so light:
And so,
when I had leave to play,
I pick'd with all my might.
"I sold enough to get my shoes,
About a week ago;
And these, if
they had not been spilt,
Would buy a bonnet too.
"But now they are gone, they all are gone,
And I can get no more,

And Sundays I must stay at home
Just as I did before.
"And, mother, then. I cried again,
As hard as I could cry;
And,
looking up, I saw a tear
Was standing in her eye.
"She caught her bonnet from her head--
'Here, here,' she cried, 'take
this!'
O, no, indeed--I fear your 'ma
Would be offended, Miss.
[Illustration]

"'My 'ma! no, never! she delights
All sorrow to beguile;
And 'tis the
sweetest joy she feels,
To make the wretched smile.
"'She taught me when I had enough,
To share it with the poor:
And
never let a needy child
Go empty from the door.
[Illustration: The Church the Blackberry Girl went to.]
"'So take it, for you need not fear
Offending her, you see;
I have
another, too, at home,
And one's enough for me.'
"So then I took it,--here it is--
For pray what could I do?
And,
mother, I shall love that Miss
As long as I love you."
[Illustration]
[Illustration: Phebe with a Basket of Berries.]
THE BLACKBERRY GIRL.
PART II.
"What have you in that basket, child?"
"Blackberries, Miss, all pick'd
to-day;
They're very large and fully ripe;
Do look at them, and taste
them pray."
"O yes: they're very nice, indeed.
Here's fourpence--that will buy a
few:
Not quite so many as I want--
However, I must make it do."
"Nay, Miss, but you must take the whole;"
"I can't, indeed, my
money's spent;
I should he glad to buy them all,
But I have not
another cent."
"And if you had a thousand, Miss,
I'd not accept of one