The Book of Joyous Children | Page 4

A Soldier!--
A Soldier!--


I want to be a Soldier, with a sabre in my hand?Or a little carbine rifle, or a musket on my shoulder,?Or just a snare-drum, snarling in the middle of the band.
I want to see the battle!--
The battle!--
The battle!--


I want to see the battle, and be in it to the end;--?I want to hear the cannon clear their throats and catch the prattle Of all the pretty compliments the enemy can send!--?And then I know my wits will go,--and where I should'nt be-- Well, there's the spot, in any fight, that you may search for me. So, when our foes have had their fill,?Though I'm among the dying,?To see The Old Flag flying still,?I'll laugh to leave her flying!
I want to be a Soldier!--
A Soldier!--
A Soldier!--


I want to be a Soldier, with a sabre in my hand?Or a little carbine rifle, or a musket on my shoulder,?Or just a snare-drum, snarling in the middle of the band.

[Illustration: "WHILE ALL THE ARMY, FOLLOWING, IN CHORUS CHEERS AND SINGS."]

EXTREMES
[Illustration]
I
A little boy once played so loud?That the Thunder, up in a thunder-cloud,?Said, "Since I can't be heard, why, then?I'll never, never thunder again!"
[Illustration]
II
And a little girl once kept so still?That she heard a fly on the window-sill?Whisper and say to a lady-bird,--?"She's the stilliest child I ever heard!"

INTELLECTUAL LIMITATIONS
Parunts knows lots more than us,?But they don't know all things,--?'Cause we ketch 'em, lots o' times,?Even on little small things.
One time Winnie ask' her Ma,?At the winder, sewin',?What's the wind a-doin' when?It's a-not a-blowin'?
Yes, an' 'Del', that very day,?When we're nearly froze out,?He ask' Uncle where it goes?When the fire goes out?
Nen _I_ run to ask my Pa,?That way, somepin' funny;?But I can't say ist but "Say,"?When he turn to me an' say,?"Well, what is it, Honey?"

[Illustration: "WHERE IT GOES WHEN THE FIRE GOES OUT?"]

A MASQUE OF THE SEASONS
Scene.--_A kitchen.--Group of Children, popping corn.--The Fairy Queen of the Seasons discovered in the smoke of the corn-popper.--Waving her wand, and, with eerie, sharp, imperious ejaculations, addressing the bespelled auditors, who neither see nor hear her nor suspect her presence._
QUEEN
Summer or Winter or Spring or Fall,--?Which do you like the best of all?
LITTLE JASPER
When I'm dressed warm as warm can be,
And with boots, to go?Through the deepest snow,?Winter-time is the time for me!
QUEEN
Summer or Winter or Spring or Fall,--?Which do you like the best of all?
LITTLE MILDRED
I like blossoms, and birds that sing;
The grass and the dew,?And the sunshine, too,--?So, best of all I like the Spring.
QUEEN
Summer or Winter or Spring or Fall,--?Which do you like the best of all?
LITTLE MANDEVILLE
O little friends, I most rejoice
When I hear the drums?As the Circus comes,--?So Summer-time's my special choice.
QUEEN
Summer or Winter or Spring or Fall,--?Which do you like the best of all?
LITTLE EDITH
Apples of ruby, and pears of gold,
And grapes of blue?That the bee stings through.--?Fall--it is all that my heart can hold!

[Illustration: "THE FAIRY QUEEN OF THE SEASONS."]

QUEEN
Soh! my lovelings and pretty dears,?You've each a favorite, it appears,--?Summer and Winter and Spring and Fall.--?That's the reason I send them all!

THOMAS THE PRETENDER
Tommy's alluz playin' jokes,?An' actin' up, an' foolin' folks;?An' wunst one time he creep?In Pa's big chair, he did, one night,?An' squint an' shut his eyes bofe tight,?An' say, "Now I 'm asleep."?An' nen we knowed, an' Ma know' too,?He ain't asleep no more 'n you!
[Illustration]
An' wunst he clumbed on our back'fence?An' flop his arms an' nen commence?To crow, like he's a hen;?But when he failed off, like he done,?He didn't fool us childern none,?Ner didn't crow again.?An' our Hired Man, as he come by,?Says, "Tom can't crow_, but he kin _cry."

[Illustration: "PORE PA! PORE PA!"]

LITTLE DICK AND THE CLOCK
When Dicky was sick?In the night, and the clock,?As he listened, said "TickAtty?--tick-atty--tock!"?He said that it said,?Every time it said "Tick,"?It said "Sick," instead,?And he heard it say "Sick!"?And when it said "TickAtty?--tick-atty--tock,"?He said it said "SickAtty?--sick-atty--sock!"?And he tried to see then,?But the light was too dim,?Yet he heard it