The Book of Joyous Children | Page 8

back to the old tree;?But father--for our wistful sakes, no doubt--?Said we would keep them, and would try our best?To raise them. And at once he set about?Building a snug home for the little things?Out of an old big bushel-basket, with?Its fractured handle and its stoven ribs:?So, lining and padding this all cosily,?He snuggled in its little tenants, and?Called in John Wesley Thomas, our hired man,?And gave him in full charge, with much advice?Regarding the just care and sustenance of?Young_ foxes.--"John," he said, "you feed 'em _milk--?Warm_ milk, John Wesley! Yes, and _keep 'em by?The stove_--and keep your stove _a-roarin', too,?Both night and day!--And keep 'em covered up--?Not smothered, John, but snug and comfortable.--

[Illustration: "THE YOUNG FOXES IN IT, ON THE HEARTH BESIDE HER."]

And now, John Wesley Thomas, first and last,--?You feed 'em milk_--_fresh_ milk--and always _warm--?Say five or six or seven times a day--?Of course we'll grade that by the way they thrive."?But, for all sanguine hope, and care, as well,?The little fellows did not thrive at all.--?Indeed, with all our care and vigilance,?By the third day of their captivity?The last survivor of the fated five?Squeaked, like some battered little rubber toy?Just clean worn out.--And that's just what it was!
And--nights,--the cry of the mother-fox for her young?Was heard, with awe, for long weeks afterward.?And we boys, every night, would go to the door?And, peering out in the darkness, listening,?Could hear the poor fox in the black bleak woods?Still calling for her little ones in vain.?As, all mutely, we returned to the warm fireside,?Mother would say: "How would you like for me?To be out there, this dark night, in the cold woods,?Calling for my children?"
[Illustration]

II
UNCLE BRIGHTENS UP--
[Illustration]
Uncle he says 'at 'way down in the sea?Ever'thing's ist like it used to be:--?He says they's mermaids, an' mermens, too,?An' little merchildern, like me an' you--?Little merboys, with tops an' balls,?An' little mergirls, with little merdolls.
[Illustration]
Uncle Sidney's vurry proud?Of little Leslie-Janey,?'Cause she's so smart, an' goes to school?Clean 'way in Pennsylvany!

[Illustration: "AN' ALL BE POETS AN' ALL RECITE."]

She print' an' sent a postul-card?To Uncle Sidney, telling?How glad he'll be to hear that she?"Toock the onners in Speling."
Uncle he learns us to rhyme an' write?An' all be poets an' all recite:?His little-est poet's his little-est niece,?An' this is her little-est poetry-piece.
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III
SINGS A "WINKY-TOODEN" SONG--
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O here's a little rhyme for the Spring- or Summer-time--?An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!--?Just a little bit o' tune you can twitter, May or June,?An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!?It's a song that soars and sings,?As the birds that twang their wings?Or the katydids and things?Thus and so, don't you know,?An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!
It's a song just broken loose, with no reason or excuse-- An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!?You can sing along with it--or it matters not a bit--?An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!?It's a lovely little thing?That 'most any one could sing?With a ringle-dingle-ding,?Soft and low, don't you know,?An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!
[Illustration]

[Illustration]
IV
AND MAKES NURSERY RHYMES
1
THE DINERS IN THE KITCHEN
[Illustration]
Our dog Fred?Et the bread.
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Our dog Dash?Et the hash.
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Our dog Pete?Et the meat.
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Our dog Davy?Et the gravy.
[Illustration]
Our dog Toffy?Et the coffee.
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Our dog Jake?Et the cake.
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Our dog Trip?Et the dip.
And--the worst,?From the first,--
[Illustration]
Our dog Fido?Et the pie-dough.

2
THE IMPERIOUS ANGLER
Miss Medairy Dory-Ann?Cast her line and caught a man,
[Illustration]
But when he looked so pleased, alack!?She unhooked and plunked him back.--?"I never like to catch what I can,"?Said Miss Medairy Dory-Ann.

3
THE GATHERING OF THE CLANS
[Voice from behind high board-fence.]
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"Where's the crowd that dares to go?Where I dare to lead?--you know!"
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"Well, here's one!"?Shouts Ezry Dunn.
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"Count me two!"?Yells Cootsy Drew.
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"Here's yer three!"?Sings Babe Magee.
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"Score me four!"?Roars Leech-hole Moore.
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"Tally--five!"?Howls Jamesy Clive.
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"I make six!"?Chirps Herbert Dix.
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"Punctchul!--seven!"?Pipes Runt Replevin.
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"Mark me eight!"?Grunts Mealbag Nate.
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"I'm yet nine!"?Growls "Lud'rick" Stein.
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"Hi! here's ten!"?Whoops Catfish Ben.
[Illustration]
"And now we march, in daring line,?For the banks of Brandywine!"

4
"IT"
A wee little worm in a hickory-nut?Sang, happy as he could be,--
[Illustration]
"O I live in the heart of the whole round world,?And it all belongs to me!"

5
THE DARING PRINCE
A daring prince, of the realm Rangg Dhune,?Once went up in a big balloon
[Illustration]
That caught and stuck on the horns of the moon,?And he hung up there till next day noon--?When all at once he exclaimed, "Hoot-toot!"?And then came down in his parachute.
[Illustration]

A DUBIOUS "OLD KRISS"
[Illustration]
Us-folks is purty pore--but Ma?She's waitin'--two years more--tel Pa?He serve his term out. Our Pa he--?He's in the Penitenchurrie!
Now don't you never tell_!--'cause _Sis,?The baby_, _she don't know he is.--?'Cause she wuz only four, you know,?He kissed her last an' hat to go!
Pa alluz liked Sis best of all?Us childern.--'Spect it's 'cause she fall?"When she'uz ist a child, one day--?An' make her back look thataway.
Pa--'fore he be a burglar--he's?A locksmiff, an' maked locks, an' keys,?An' knobs you pull fer bells to ring,?An' he could ist make anything!--
[Illustration]
'Cause our Ma say he can!--An' this?Here little pair o' crutches Sis?Skips round on--Pa maked them--yes-sir!--?An' silivur-plate-name here fer her!
Pa's out o' work when Chris'mus come?One time, an' stay away from home,?An' 's drunk an' 'buse our Ma, an' swear?They