Slovenly Betsy | Page 3

on the brilliant Christmas tree?St. Nicholas hung his gifts so free,?The envious Minnie could not bear?With any one those gifts to share.?And when her sisters' birthdays came?Minnie (it must be told with shame)?Would envy every pretty thing?Which dear Mamma to them would bring.
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Sometimes great tears rolled from her eyes,?Sometimes she pierced the air with cries,?For hours together she would fret?Because their toys she could not get.?Ah, then! how changed this pretty child,?No longer amiable and mild.?That fairy form and smiling face?Lost all their sprightliness and grace.?Her tender mother often sighed,?And to reform her daughter tried.?"Oh! Minnie, Minnie," she would say,?"Quite yellow you will turn some day."
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Now came the merry Christmas feast;?St. Nicholas brought to e'en the least?Such pretty presents, rich and rare,?But all the best for Minnie were.?Now to her little sister Bess?St. Nicholas brought a yellow dress;?This Minnie longed for (envious child),?And snatched it from her sister mild.?Then all in tears did Bessie run?To tell her mother what was done.
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Then Minnie ran triumphantly?To try the dress on, as you see.?But Minnie was not satisfied,?She pouted, fretted, sulked, and cried;?Sisters and brothers had no rest,--?She vowed their presents were the best,?And springing quickly to the glass,?What saw she there? Alas! alas!?Oh! what a sad, such deep disgrace!?She found she had a yellow face.?"Ah, me!" she cried, now, in despair,?"Where are my rosy cheeks--oh, where?"?Exclaimed her mother, "Now you see?The punishment of jealousy."
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THE LITTLE GLUTTON
Oh! how this Mary loved to eat,--?It was her chief delight;?She would have something, sour or sweet,?To munch from morn till night.?She to the pantry daily stole,?And slyly she would take?Sugar, and plums, and sweetmeats, too,?And apples, nuts, and cake.
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Her mother Mary oft reproved,?But, ah! it did no good;?Munch, nibble, chew, from morn to night,?The little glutton would.
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One day, upon some bee-hives near?She chanced to cast her eyes;?"How nice that honey there must taste!"?She cried, and off she flies.?On tiptoe now the hives she nears,?Close up to them she creeps,?And through the little window panes?Quite cautiously she peeps.?"Oh, dear! how good it looks!" she cries,?As she the honey sees;?"I must, I will, indeed, have some;?It cannot hurt the bees."?And then a hive she gently lifts,--?Oh, foolish, foolish child,--?Down, down it falls--out swarm the bees?Buzzing with fury wild.?With fright she shrieks, and tries to run,?But ah! 'tis all in vain;?Upon her light the angry bees,?And make her writhe with pain.
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Four weeks and more did Mary lie?Upon her little bed,?And, ah! instead of honey, she?On medicine was fed.?Her parents grieved so much at first?Their child so sick to see;?But once more well, with joy they found?Her cured of gluttony.
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SOPHIE SPOILALL
I never Saw a Girl Or Boy?So prone as Sophie to destroy?Whate'er she laid her hands upon,?Though tough as wood, or hard as stone;?With Sophie it was all the same,?No matter who the thing might claim,?No matter were it choice or rare,?For naught did the destroyer care.?Her playthings shared the common lot;?Though hers they were, she spared them not,?Her dolls she oft tore limb from limb,?To gratify a foolish whim.
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"Fie!" said her mother, "don't you know,?That if you use your playthings so,?Kriss Kringle will in wrath refuse?To give you what you might abuse??Remember, how in times gone by,?You've always found a rich supply?Of Christmas presents; but beware,?You'll find no more another year."
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You'd think such words would surely tend?To make this child her ways amend.?But no; she still her course pursued,?Regardless of advice so good.?But when her mother sees 'tis plain?That all her arguments are vain,?Says she, "Since I have done my best,?I'll let experience do the rest."?Meantime the season of the year?For Christmas gifts was drawing near,?And Sophie doubted not that she?An ample store of them would see.?At length the happy hour was come.?The children, led into the room,?Behold, with wonder and surprise,?Three tables set before their eyes.?One is for Nelly, one for Ned,?And both with choicest treasures spread.
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