PS 3157 WE 9 Yteter house - tti Southern Branch of the University of California Los Angeles Form L-l PS 3157 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below MAR 1 8 1924 AUG4 192* Form L-9-2?n-7,'22 LAYS for LITTLE CHAPS "THE LITTLE CHAP THAT RUNS THE HOUSE" Lays for Little Chaps BY ALFRED JAMES WATERHOUSE NEW TORK NEW AMSTERDAM BOOK COMPANY PUBLISHERS MCMII Copyright, igo2, by NEW AMSTERDAM BOOK COMPANY in the United States and Great Britain Published November, 1902 All rights reserved UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE U. S. A. To Ruth and Dorothy OF THE LAYS PACK The Little Chap that Runs the House ... 1 Charlie Jones' Bad Luck 3 A Passenger from Phantom Land 5 Our Hushaby Song 8 The Baby in Pants 10 The Land of Three Feet High 12 Little Willie's Christmas Wish 14 Wen I am Growed Up 17 Saint Santa Claus 19 The Remarkable Tale of Miss Kitty Cat . . 21 When the Baby Came 26 The Baby's Remarks 29 A Hard, Hard Citizen 31 The Land of the Hushaby King 33 A Very Queer Umbrella 37 vii A LIST OF THE LAYS PAGE Fellow Came to our House 39 How the Babies Kide 42 O'er the Sea of Dreams 44 The Schoolgirl that I Hated ... . N . . . 47 My Orful Cross-Eyed Teacher 50 "I Love You Each Year Better" 54 How the Flowers Grow . . 56 My Youthful Pants 58 The People of Wonder Land . 60 But Two Children 63 My Pa an' Ma 65 The Mournful Tale of the Snee Zee Familee . 69 "I'm Praying for You" 72 The Loving Mother 75 The Despot Kings 80 I "Wish I was an Engineer 83 It 's Hard to Say 87 A Little, Little Fellow 90 The Baby's Faith 93 When Brother Stiggins Come to Tea . . . 95 Her Faith Never Falters 99 viii A LIST OF THE LAYS PAGB When Mother Called 101 The Song of Songs 103 A Song for the Babies . 107 The Little Boy Who Saw Santa Claus . . . 110 She 's Gone Away 114 Oh, Little Wee Maiden . 116 The Poor Little Birdies 119 Give Me the Fables 122 A Song for the Little Chaps 125 When Even Conies 127 At the Bottom of the Sea 129 Dorothy's Wisdom 132 The Teacher Knows 135 Swimming isn't What it Was 138 My First Autograph 141 My Little Valentine 143 Hushaby, Lullaby 145 When Baby Bloweth Kisses 147 THE little chap that runs the house, He is a sight to see ; His face is as a saucer round ; He reacheth to my knee. But when he shouts at me, " Hey, there ! " I know ! t were wisdom to beware. The little chap that runs the house Hath noises many score, And when I think I 've learned them all He springeth several more. Yells, whoops and shrieks to Bedlam run He sayeth only : " My ! What fun ! " Sometimes when I awhile would write In some secluded spot 1 1 Lays for Little Chaps A-sudden Panic's frenzied might Doth mingle in my plot : With blare of trumpet, beat of drum, " Say, ain't you glad 'cause I have come ? ' The little chap that runs the house Doth never pause to dream That " business " is a sacred word In man's sagacious scheme. " Up on your shoulder ! Take me ! Do!" We march to shriek and mad halloo. The little chap that runs the house When daylight all hath fled Doth rub his sleepy eyes, and say : " I fink I '11 go to bed." Then by his mother kneeleth he, And angels heed his baby plea. The little chap His noise is For shriek and halloo Are tuned to And so I say : joy, And heed his boy." that runs the house, dear to me, shout and loud Heaven's key ; " God give him way, my little Charlie Jones' Bad Luck CHARLIE JONES' BAD LUCK As discussed by little Willie I DON'T care if Charlie Jones Is better 'an I be ; An' I don't care if teacher says He 's smart 'long side er me ; An' I don't care, w'en vis'tors come, If she on him does call ; He ain't got measles, like I have He don't have luck at all. He never had the whoopin' cough, Ner mos' cut off his thumb, Ner ever fell an' broke his leg An' had a doctor come. He hardly ever stubs his toe, An' if he does, he '11 bawl ! There 's nuthin' special comes to him He don't have luck at all. 3 Lay s fo r L it tie Ch ap s An' I don't care if lie can say More tex's an' things 'an I ; He never burnt both hands to once 'Long 'bout the Fo'th July. He never had the chicken pox, Ner p'iseu oak las' Fall ! He can't be proud o' nuthin' much - He don't have luck at all. A Passenger from Phantom Land A PASSENGER FROM PHANTOM LAND A PASSENGER came from Phantom Land ; Ho and olio ! but a sight was lie ! With a voice that was merely a loud demand For something to eat or to drink maybe. A passenger came from Phantom Land ; A queerer and quainter you never have seen, With a mite of a foot and a bit of a hand, And I vow he was only a crying machine. But it 's ho and oho ! for the passengers all ! Pudgy and funny and dimpled and small, Who know just enough for their mammas to call Here 's to them, wherever they be ! 5 Lays for Little Chaps A passenger came from Phantom Land, His baggage forgotten and left behind. He had n't a stocking in which to stand, And he could n't have stood if he had, you mind. He had n't a coat to his blessed name ; He had n't a garment ; he had n't a thing. But, worse than all that and I count it a shame His hair and his teeth he 'd forgotten to bring. But it 's ho and oho ! for the passengers queer ! The little wee despots, we welcome them here. The greater the tyrant, the more he is dear Here 's to them, wherever they be ! A passenger came from Phantom Land. The customs officials all passed him by. He had n't a thing they could touch on hand ; There 's never a tax on an animate cry. 6 A Passenger from Phantom Land But one there was greeted him, greeted him here With a kiss and a prayer that the Father heard, For these little passengers still arc dear, Though pudgy and useless and quaint and absurd. So it 's ho and oho ! for the passengers wee ! They are dear unto you, and they 're dear unto me. Each care that they bear is a blessing, you see God bless them, wherever they be ! Lays for Little Chaps OUR HUSHABY SONG IS ING to my baby a hushaby song ; She sings to her dolly a lullaby too. " Oh, hush you," I sing, " for the sleep angels throng," But she singeth only, " Er-goo " and " Er- goo." " Oh, hush you, my dearie. Through all of the day The little feet weary, Wherever they stray. Now white angels gather In Sleep Country fair, Each sent by the Father To welcome you there." 8 Our Hushaby Song So lowly I sing the even shades through, While she singeth only, " Er-goo " and " Er- goo." She sings to her baby ; I sing to my own. But she singeth sweeter whate'er I may do, For in all of life's music there soundeth no tone So sweet as a bairnie's contented " Er-goo." '' So hush you, my dearie. The little stars peep, With eyes that are cheery, To guard you, asleep ; And peeping, down-peeping, Full lowly they say : ' O'er Sleep's river creeping, One cometh this way.' " One murmured " Er-goo ; " the elves nearer creep, And baby and dolly have both gone to sleep. Lays for Little Chaps THE BABY IN PANTS HE 'S a little bit of baby, 'Bout as tall as pa's silk hat, An' as chubby as a cherub, An' you know how chubby 's that. Yistuday my ma, she said she Guessed she 'd put him into pants ; An' all other sights that 's funny, They ain't more 'n a circumstance. Uncle William, he jus' hollered, 'Cause the baby looked so queer ; An' my ma she jus' kep' sayin' : " B'ess him ! pootsy-wootsy dear." But my pa, he wan't so tickled Anyways, he kep' it hid Fer he said : " Fer lan's sake, Ellen, Wat you done to that there kid ? " 10 The Baby in Pants But the baby, he stood wond'rin', Kind o' srnilin' in the sun, An' it seemed the brightest sunbeams Come to kiss the little one. An' he looked so sweet an' cunnin', Standin' where the sunrays glance, That my pa says : " I guess, Ellen, That we '11 let him keep them pants." 11 Lays for Little Chaps THE LAND OF THREE FEET HIGH IN the Land of Three Feet High Very many wonders be ; Castles reaching to the sky, Elfin-haunts in vale or lea ; Fairy boats that ceaseless ply O'er the Sea of Three Feet High. There are giants, very tall ; Goblins playing in the dell ; Brownies, queerest folk of all ; More, ah, more than I can tell ; And I sometimes pause and sigh For the Land of Three Feet High. 12 The Land of Three Feet High And the people, who are they ? Lads and lasses whom we know ; But beside them, where they stray, We may never, never go. We have wandered, you and I, From the Land of Three Feet High. 13 Lays for Little Chaps LITTLE WILLIE'S CHRISTMAS WISH S ANTA GLAUS, he brought me a great big drum. Orto hear me play it ! Bet I make it hum ! Brought my cousin Charlie an engine with a bell An' a reg'lar whistle that '11 almos' yell. Brought the other fellers nices' kind o' toys ; Hootin', tootin', shootin', makin' lots o' noise. But when the fellers visit me they do mos' ev'ry day It 's orful diserpointin' what my pa '11 say. Toot, hoot, toot ! Bang, slam, bang ! 14 Little Willie's Christmas Wish Wile pa gits red an' redder, an' says : " Well, I'll be hang!" But ma says : " William Johnson ! Such lan guage to employ ! Have you forgotten that you once was jus' a little boy?" An' pa says : " S'posin' if I was, this fac' is no less true : I did n't have a license then to be a pirit, too." What's the use of Santa Glaus if boys can't play Without their pas a-gittin' red an' talkin' in that way ? Never was no fellers 'at are better 'an we be ; Jus' a-playin' with the things he brought to them an' me. Tootin' with the whistle, shootin' with the gun, Blowin' of the trumpet, havin' lots of fun. Shootin' at a targit, shot my pa instead Orful diserpointin' what my pa then said. Ting-a-ling-ling ! Toot-er-toot-too ! Till pa says : " Oh, blame Santa Glaus ! I guess 'at that '11 do !" 15 Lays for Little Chaps An' he ketches me an' Charlie an' yanks us to the door ; An' the fellers say they'll never come to play with me no more. An' that is why I 'm wishin', an' so I told my ma, That Santa Glaus '11 bring me nex' a bran' new pa. 16 Wen I am Growed Up WEN I AM GROWED UP W'EN I am growed up an' am quite a big man I '11 go vvitli a cirkis, I guess, ef I can An' I proberbly can an' I s'pose 'at I '11 be A clown er a ringmaster gorjus to see, An' I '11 act in a tent on mos' ev'ry night, An' the folks '11 say, " Goodness ! 'at feller 's a sight ! " An' they '11 yell an' hurrah jus' es loud es they can Wen I am growed up an' am quite a big man. Wen I am growed up an' am quite I don' know, Fer sometimes I think 'at to sea I will go, 2 17 Lays for Little Chaps An' I '11 be a bold pirit, to sail the seas through An' capture the ships as the pirits all do, Er a street-car conductor, er brave engineer, Er runnin' a candy-store mos' of the year But ina says to make me a preacher 's her plan, Wen I am growed up an' am quite a big man. 18 Saint Santa Clans SAINT SANTA GLAUS TASKED a little girl one day Which saint she liked the best ; " Saint Peter, or Saint Paul ? " I said, " Or which one of the rest ? " And straight she answered me : " Zere 's one I likes the best, betoz " Faith ! how I longed to kiss her then ! " He 's dood Saint Santy Tlaus." Ho, all ye ones whose heads and hearts Have frosted with the years ; So frozen that for childish faith You Ve nothing left save sneers, 19 Lays for Little Chaps You 'd better let your hearts thaw out By genial nature's laws, For she was right, the little maid : " He 's dood Saint Santy Tlaus." 20 The Remarkable Tale of Miss Kitty Cat THE REMARKABLE TALE OF MISS KITTY CAT LITTLE Miss Kitty Cat climbed my knee Last night as I sat by the fire, And her eyes were as green as green could be, (Oh, she was a wonderful sight to see !) And her hairs were just like wire, This thin and singular wire. But I stroked her gently, I stroked her long, Till her eyes grew yellow again, And she sung me the most remarkable song ; The tune went just pur-r-ring and pur-r-ring along Till she 'd sung it thrice over, and then She sung it all over again. 21 Lays for Little Chaps And I wrote down that song just as fast as I could, For I knew that you wanted to hear, And I said to myself that you certainly should That is, if you 're 'specially, 'specially good And here is its story. Dear ! Dear ! A curious story, 't is clear. " It was only this evening " so Kitty Cat sung " That I walked in a wood where bad doggies hung By their necks to the limbs of the trees, And I laughed as they swung in the breeze ; For I Ve always insisted 't was plain unto me That the place for a dog is the limb of a tree, The limb of a very tall tree, Where good little kitties can see How their bow-wows are choked, unless they 're of tin, And that cannot be, for they 'd have whistles in, And the dogs when they barked would just whistle instead, And I never have heard them ; no, never ! " she said, 22 The Remarkable Tale of Miss Kitty Cat " And I really don't think it can be ; Do you ? " said Miss Kitty to me, " But I wish I could see such a tree, A tree, Such a wonderful, beautiful tree. " There were bright yellow birds in that mar vellous wood, And they flew to my feet from the trees, as they should, And, ' Eat us ; come eat us,' they sung ; (I 'm acquainted, you know, with their tongue) And the mice all came running as fast as they could, Saying, ' Please cat us first,' and I told them I would ; I surely and certainly would, For mice are especially good. Then the mice brought me forks, and the birds brought me knives, And they all said at once, 'Please commence on our wives, For we love them so much, and we 'd give you our best, And perhaps when they 're eaten you '11 want a long rest. 23 Lays for Little Chaps Oh, they 're much better eating, you see,' Said those dear, loving husbands to me. Oh, I wish that such blisses could be, Could be, Could surely and certainly be ! " But, while I was thinking of eating a mouse, I happened to notice a queer little house, And out came a man with a gun, And he said, ' I will limit your fun,' And he shot a queer bullet made out of Dutch cheese, And I shouted, 'Don't, Mister! Oh, don't, if you please ! Oh, I hope you will certainly please. Can't you see I am weak in the knees ? ' But the queer bullet chased me eight times 'round a tree, And 't was gaining quite fast, as I could n't but see, And I wanted to pray, but ' Now I lay me ' Did n't seem quite appropriate then, don't you see? And a flutter got into my heart, And it seemed that it surely must part; 24 The Remarkable Tale of Miss Kitty Oat And I waked with a terrible start, A start, And I jumped in your lap with that start." So that is the story Miss Kitty Cat sung, As she lay on my lap last night, And, as I 'in well acquainted with Kitty Cat's tongue, I know I have written it right ; And I 've written it all for a wee little one Who is dear, oh, so dear unto me, And if it shall please her, now that it is done, I '11 be amply repaid, don't you see ? And there 's one little thing that I almost forgot : Do you see what the moral is, dears ? Did you know what I meant, though you'd much rather not, When I wrote of Miss Kitty Cat's fears ? Did you see ? You did not ? Well, perhaps it 's not queer, Though it well may appear so to many, For to me it is really remark ably clear That the story, you know, has n't any. 25 Lays for Little Chaps WHEN THE BABY CAME WHEN the baby came that the white stork brings, Such a queer little baby was he, The quaintest and cutest of laughable things, He was really a marvel to see, For he puckered his brow, and he twisted his eyes, And first he looked simple and then he looked wise, And the way that he wailed would cause you surprise. It was surely surprising to me, You see ; It was more than surprising to me. 26 When the Baby Came When the baby came 't was his grandma said " I 'm sure that he looks like his rna ; " But his Aunt Angelina insisted, instead : "I'm certain he favors his pa." But the baby he wriggled his little red toes, And he wailed that he wanted to get in his clothes, Which was perfectly proper, as you may suppose, For he 'd left all his clothing afar In the star Where all of the wee babies are. When the baby came there was somebody said : " May the Father my little one bless ; " And a kiss, like a blessing, fell soft on the head Of the darling she yearned to caress. 27 Lays for Little Chaps But the baby he heeded nor blessing nor prayer, As he blinked at the light with a meaningless stare ; Yet I 'm sure the petition was registered where There is One who is able to bless, And I guess That in answer He stooped to caress. 28 The Baby's Remarks THE BABY'S REMARKS THERE is nobody knows the things I think ; There is nobody knows, I guess, As I lie in my crib and blink and blink, With my wee little brain a-kink, a-kink With the notions I can't express. There is nobody knows what I try to say, As I lie in my crib and talk this way : Goo, goo, goo, goo A toe is a thing to eat Goo, goo, goo, goo It 's really remarkably sweet. 29 Lays for Little Chaps The nurse took a sticking thing one day And pinned a jacket to me. I am not a talker, but I do say That I made them take it away, away, For I cried, and I cried, you see. There is nobody knows what I say, no doubt. But I notice they got that sticker out. Goo, goo, goo, goo I guess that my head I '11 bump Goo, goo, goo, goo When I do, watch the big nurse jump. 30 A Hard, Hard Citizen A HARD, HARD CITIZEN YOU 'RE a hard, hard citizen." So I said, And he freely admitted that it was so. " You turned my mucilage into the bed, But rubbed some part in your hair, you know. You hid my slippers and then forgot, And the place where you put them still pu/zles me. You 're a hard, hard citizen, are you not ? " And he smiled as he answered, " Yeth, I be." " The faucet you turned of the coal-oil can, Till the floor was drenched by the oily flow; And you chuckled in glee as the liquid ran. Now answer me straightly : Is n't it so ? " But the criminal neither did shudder nor shrink, As he murmured, " A 'tory p'ease tell to me." "You 're a hard, hard citizen, don't you think ? " I said, and he smiled as he said, " I be." 31 Lays for Little Chaps " Your grammar is faulty I M fain suggest," I said to the criminal on my knees ; " It would not endure the least critical test ; " And he answered, "Now tell me a 'tory, p'ease." Now what could I do ? I leave it to you For he 's callous in guilt as the worst of the lot, And that he seems hardened is dreadfully true So I told him the story. Now, would you not ? I told him the story, and then I said : " You 're a hard, hard citizen, one can see," And he answered, " I be," and then he pled : " Now p'ease, won't oo tell 'nuzzer 'tory to me?" Oh, I guess that my discipline 's sadly at fault, For I told him a story, the peace to keep, And he murmured low, when I seemed to halt : "Now tell me anuzzer," then went to sleep. 32 The Land of the Hushaby King THE LAND OF THE HUSHABY KING OTT, safely afloat in a wonderful boat, From over the Sundown Sea, When the tide swings slow and the breeze chants low In marvellous minstrelsy, There cometh, there cometh the Hushaby King, And dreams are the elves that creep Close, close by his side on the Sundown tide, As he singeth my babe to sleep : " By, oh ! by, by, we shall go sailing, sailing ; Swing low, swing high, over the Dream Sea trailing, 3 33 Lays for Little Chaps With elves of the Dreamland about us a-wing." This is the song of the Hushaby King. Oh, little blue eyes, the stars in the skies Of the Dreamland are strangely aglow, And the inoon is the queen of a fairyland scene, To watch o'er the children below ; And your boat 'mid the islands swings lazily o'er Where the mermaids in happiness throng, And, down where they dwell, 'neath the surge and the swell, They are singing a lullaby song : " Sleep, dear ; sleep, sleep, rocked on the rest- tide billow ; While near creep, creep, elves to thy downy pillow ; You shall be soothed by the flutter of wings." This is the song that the mermaiden sings. Oh, the far-away strand of the Hushaby Land Your little white feet shall press, And the birds of the air shall welcome you there To blisses no mortal may guess. 34 The Land of the Hushaby King On wonderful trees sliall the candy-fruit grow ; Plum cake to the bushes shall cling ; And no one shall cry, " Don't touch them ! My, my!" For the dream-fairies ever will sing : " Yours all, yours, dear ; all to be had for the taking ; Babes small, babes queer, just give the trees a good shaking ; For candy in Dreamland 's a very good thing." This is the song that the white fairies sing. Oh, far-away strand of the Hushaby Land, If I could but go, could go Where my baby doth float in the Lullaby-boat ; If I could her rapture know As she laughs in a dream that comes through the night, A dream of the elfins at play ! But she drifteth from me o'er the Hushaby Sea, And aye to myself I say : "By, oh! by, by, bonnie one, drifting, drifting ; Swing low, swing high, safe on the sleep-tide shifting." 35 Lays for Little Chaps And my heart doth reply, though closer I cling : " She is safe in the arms of the Hushaby King." 36 ' "1 A VERY QUEER UMBRELLA THIS very morn, upon the street, A big umbrella I did meet. At first I thought it walked alone, Though such a thing I 'd never known ; And then my pencil pardon begs I saw it walked on two plump legs. So strange a sight filled me with awe, And so I peeped beneath and saw 37 Lays for Little Chaps Saw two bright eyes that laughed to mine Saw two cheeks, red as sun-born wine ; A tiny mouth, just fit to kiss ; Two dimples, Cupid's home of bliss ; A forehead white, with locks of gold Ah, I am sad and gray and old, And much I wished my heart 's so lone That queer umbrella were my own. 38 Fellow Came to our House FELLOW CAME TO OUR HOUSE FELLOW came to our house and said he guessed he 'd stay ; Dreadful inconvenient to let him have his way Had no room for boarders, did n't have a bed Tried to argue with him, and this is what I said: " Hey, there, little chap, Come and visit me ! Humpty-bumpty, jumpty-dumpty On your father's knee ! 39 Lays for Little Chaps Have you made arrangements To pay for board and cheer ? You '11 find them unavailing, For we don't take boarders here." But though my argument was sound, as I sub mit to you, I think he meant that he would stay when he replied, " Goo-oo ! " Fellow came to our house, and some one talked this way : "'' He 's such a itty-witty that I guess we '11 let him stay." I could n't see the logic, but she pressed the tiny head Still closer to her bosom, and this is what she said : "Itty-bitty felly! B'essed baby boy ! Come to b'ess his mamma, Come to b'ing her joy ! " And then a tear down-starting Her loving glances blurred ; But her lips kept moving, moving, Though she did n't say a word. 40 Fellow Came to our House And I knew a prayer she offered and an angel heard it, too ; But the baby nestled closer and only said, "Goo-oo!" 41 Lays for Little Chaps HOW THE BABIES RIDE HERE 'S the way the babies ride : High-low, high-low, Sitting their papa's foot astride High-low, high-low. First they go up, and then they go down, Shrieking with laughter, their fears to drown. Oh, but the horse deserves renown ! High-low, high-low. 42 How the Babies Ride Here 'a the way the babies ride : By-low, by-low, Floating away on the Dream Sea tide By-low, by-low. Safe where the Sleep-boat lazily swings, Dreaming of beautiful, wonderful things, Lulled by the song that Somebody sings : By-low, by-low. 43 Lays for Little Chaps O'ER the Sea of Dreams to the sweet Dreamland Oh, little my love, come hither, T pray, And place in my own your wee white hand, And we will go sailing away, away, Down a path of gold by the Isles of Rest, O'er the slumbrous depths of the Sundown Sea, To the land of lands that we love the best, Where dream angels whisper to you and to me. 44 O'er the Sea of Dreams O'er the Sea of Dreams Oh, little my love, Closer yet creep to this heart of mine, While lowly the dream angels hover above And there in God's meadows the star-blos soms shine. Under your eyelids the visions shall creep Little one, little one, what shall they be ? Something to cause you to smile in your sleep, Nestling yet closer and closer to me. O'er the Sea of Dreams to the sweet Dream land Oh, little my love, what dreams they must be ! Such dreams as a baby may understand ; Queer little fancies, as all must agree ; Little half notions, or foolish or wise ; Wee floating fragments of babyhood lore. These are your dreams, as I sagely surmise Heigh-ho, my little one, what are mine more ? O'er the Sea of Dreams; and who's at the helm, Oh, little my love, nor you nor I May wisely tell, for the Sleep King's realm Is hidden by mists from the passers-by. 45 Lays for Little Chaps It is hidden by mists, yet myself I tell, While your eyelids flutter like petals of white, The One who is guiding will guide her well So, lit-tle my love, good-night, good-night. 46 The Schoolgirl that I Hated THE SCHOOLGIRL THAT I HATED SOMETIMES when memory draws the veil, and I look back a way To where the sun was shining in my happy, youthful day, I catch the scent of lilacs as they blossomed by our door, And I hear the robins chirping as they used to chirp of yore, And the oriole is flitting like a ball of living fire, And the river 's sort o' whispering just as though 't would never tire ; And then, amid the faces that on memory's screen I see, Comes the schoolgirl that I hated when she sat in front of me. 47 Lays for Little Chaps Someway I see her plainly now in scanty dress of blue, With eyes in part coquettish and in part serene and true ; With curls that liked to catch the light and twist it in and out, And lips just right for kissing, if they were in clined to pout. I knew that she was pretty, but I said she was no good Though I could n't help admiring her ; no boy that 's human could But she made up faces at me, and she could a vixen be, The schoolgirl that I hated when she sat in front of me. She would n't play at marbles, and she could n't play at ball, And I often intimated that she was no good at all. I dropped a cricket down her back in cheerful, boyish way, And she yelled first ; then I yelled next, when teacher was to pay. She would n't " coon " a melon, though I asked her oftentimes, 48 The Schoolgirl that I Hated And she ridiculed my first attempts at poor and broken rhymes. Oh, she was a thorough failure, as any boy can see, The schoolgirl that I hated when she sat in front of me. She beat me at the lessons that we found within our books, And when she went above me all scornful were her looks ; But when the teacher whipped me I saw her cry one day, And I said that " girls is better than what some fellers say ; " And I sort of half forgave her for '. 1 ' her lack of hardihood, Though I even then insisted that she really was no good ; But times have changed since then, for I I 'm mar ried, don't you see, To the schoolgirl that I hated when she sat in front of me. 49 Lays for Little Chaps MY ORFUL CROSS-EYED TEACHER ONE time I had a teacher I 've had them every kind, But this partic'lar teacher was dis- tractin' to my mind. Of course all sorts of teachers is disturbin' to a boy, For they 're always interferin' when he wants to have some joy ; But this partic'lar teacher he was worser than the rest, For there wan't no way of figgerin' on the im pulse in his breast, An' when he looked mos' pensive, then he'd light upon me hot, My orful cross-eyed teacher what I never have forgot. 50 My Orful Cross-eyed Teacher There wa'n't no way accountin' for the vag'ries of that man ; There wa'n't no cunnin' little boy could quite foresee his plan. With his eyes both turned on heaven, he 'd seem about to pray, An' then you 'd best go mighty slow ; he 'd prob'ly come your way ; An' when his eyes seemed sot an' fixed some where about his toe, Then, if you pinched another boy, you gen'ly stood no show, For he 'd prob'ly land upon you, or he would as like as not, This orful cross-eyed teacher what I never have forgot. One time that I remember, I remember very well, I wrote a note to Ethel Moore, my longin' love to tell ; An' the teacher he was gazin' on the far-off, promised land, So I fired that note at Ethel well, it landed in his hand ; An' from the subsekent events I smarted fore an' aft, 51 Lays for Little Chaps An' my heart it also smarted when I noticed Ethel laffed. Oh, he wrenched my young affections an' he jarred my spine a lot, That orful cross-eyed teacher what I never have forgot. I throwed a wad at Charlie Jones when teacher's eyes was cast Upon a hoss an wagon that jus' then the win der passed. Of the epersode that follered I am still ashamed to tell, For the teacher used his ruler, an' I I used a yell. He was a diserpointin' chap, that pedergog, I swear, An' when he looked straight at a thing he was n't lookin' there. Because of him my youthful days was triberla- tion-shot, This orful cross-eyed teacher what I never have forgot. Oh, good an' noble little boys what still by school are vexed, 52 My Orful Cross-eyed Teacher If you will listen to my words I '11 surely put you " next," For one day a glad discovery sung a siren song to me : When the teacher looked right at me, what I did he did n't see. Oh, good an' noble little boys who watch the master's nod, When the cross-eyed teacher 's lookin', then 's the time to fire the wad. This grain of wisdom garnered served to cheer my weary lot With the orful cross-eyed teacher what I never have forgot. 53 Lays for Little Chaps "I LOVE YOU EACH YEAR BETTER " I'M twelve years old to-day," she said, I kissed and held her nearer, For every year that onward fled Had made her but the dearer. " I 'in growing quite a girl, you see," My hand reached out to pet her " But then, you know, it seems to me I love you each year better." 54 "/ Love You Each Year Better" Now tell me, you who sup with care As time grows old and older, Could lips a sweeter message bear When hearts with age turn colder? So, little love, my soul shall pray, As years our life-links fetter, That I may always hear you say : " I love you each year better." 55 Lays for Little Chaps HOW THE FLOWERS GROW DO you know, darling, how pansies grow? God takes the tints of the sunset glow, The purple that floats in the mountain mist, The blush of a maid by her love first kissed, The blue that 's asleep in the midday skies, The brown that I love in my baby's eyes, And He mingles them all in a flower ; and so, That is the way that the pansies grow. Do you know, darling, how lilies grow? God takes the soul of the beautiful snow And moulds it into a chalice sweet, Pure and wonderful, fair, complete ; 56 How the Flowers Grow Then He takes the gold of my baby's hair And sets it amid the whiteness there, As in night's white skies the bright stars glow; And that is the way that the lilies grow. Do you know, darling, how roses grow ? Ah, that is the strangest of all, I know ; For they are the fairest of all things fair, The one perfect blossom, beyond compare ; Symbol of sweetness and all loveliness God wished His children to comfort and bless, And He wrote the thought in a flower ; and so, That is the way that the roses grow. 57 Lays for Little Chaps MY YOUTHFUL PANTS COME back, come back, my youthful pants ; Come back, come back to me, For nevermore by any chance Your equal I shall see. My mother made them ; I recall How wondrous was their fit, For I was some six sizes small Into the things to " git." She made them out of father's pants ; The bosom was his size. 58 My Youthful Pants The sight of me in them by chance Would fill you with surprise. They hung straight from my shoulder-blade In folds beyond belief, And when the eastern zephyrs played I had to take a reef. And, oh, my youthful heart would swell Beneath the fearful brunt Of feeling that no one could tell Which side I wore in front. I still remember T would use The slack in carrying chips, And when to raise it I did choose My face was in eclipse. And all the little boys I met Would, joyous, 'round me dance And cry in tones I can't forget : "Where did you git them\~ pants ? " Oh, trousers dear of long ago ; Oh, panties wild and free, Where you have gone I long to know ! Come back, come back to me! 59 Lays for Little Chaps HAVE you ever heard tell of Wonder Land, Of the dear little, queer little, comical band That stumble and fumble and want to know Where they are going and why they go ? They sit in our laps as the eve grows dark, And they take the shape of a question mark, For all that is written in face or eye Is wholly expressed by the one word, " Why ? " " Why don't the sun burn up some day ? " " Why don't we fly, as the birdies do ? " " Why don't the chickens and hens eat hay ? ' 60 " Why do the scissors cut things in two ? " Such are the questions of Wonder Land, Of its dear little, queer little, comical band. These are the people of Wonder Land : Queer little duffers as tall as your stand. Wee little fellows who want to know More than the wisest can tell, I trow ; For the world is so big, and the world is so strange ; Its paths are so hidden as onward they range, That who dares to wonder 't is surely not I They look in amazement while questioning, " Why ? " " Why are the stars put out in the day ? " " Who is it lights them when night comes down ? " " Why don't my ma have whiskers, I say ? " " Why are the houses all built in town ? " These are the things they cannot understand, The odd little people of Wonder Land. Oh, little wee people of Wonder Land, There 's one thing I wish you could understand : We folk who are older are not so wise We can answer the questions in your dear eyes ; 61 Lays for Little Chaps For really, you know it is certainly true In the Country of Wonder we live with you ; And if any can answer, 't is surely not I, For T, too, am lost in the maze of " Why ? " Why have I come from the mists of There ? Why am I lost in the mists of Here ? What is the gain in the burden we bear? What is the end that is glimmering near ? And if these be not questions of Wonder Land, The difference, my bairnies, I don't understand. 62 But Two Children BUT TWO CHILDREN THEY grow so weary, the little feet, With their day-long, ceaseless hurry ; So when there coineth the even' sweet When we bury the haunting worry, She patters to me, and, wistful eyed, She says : " I am finkin' maybe You '11 hold me to s'eep, an' my dolly beside, Betause I am just oor baby." Then I hold her a time, till her head droops low And her soul creepeth out to the shadows ; 63 Lays for Little Chaps And she and her dolly together do go To the Dreamland's star-flecked meadows ; And, holding her so, I am glad to know She is safe from the outside weather ; And sometimes I say in a dreamy way : " We are but two children together." We are but two children. At even' we Are wearied alike by the hurry, And we long for the rest that shall set us free From the daytime's care and worry. And as she creeps to her father's arms, Still holding her dolly near her, And as I guard her from all alarms And tenderly soothe and cheer her, So do I turn, though I hold life's toys Closer and closer unto me, To the One who heedeth our woes and joys For rest and for strength to renew me ; And as my darling ne'er pleads in vain, With soft baby prattle, " Pease hold me," So do I whisper, through toil and through pain " The arms of His love do enfold me." MY PA AN' MA MY pa he is the wises' man, I s'pose, you ever seen ; He knows jus' why mos' all things is, an' knows jus' what they mean. He knows a heap more than my ma, 'cause he 's a man, you see ; He ain't a woman like she is, though tol'ble good to me ; 6 65 Lays for Little Chaps But when I ask him questions 'bout the things I 'd like to know, He sort o' scowls at me at firs', an then he answers so : " Do go away ! Don't bother me ! I 'in busy now ! Say, can't you see ? " But when I ask my ma, why, then she allers ans'ers me. I 'd learn a sight if she knew things almos' as well as he. When pa an' Mr. Jones sits down an' talk an hour or less, I wish the Presiden' could hear: he'd learn some things, I guess, 'Bout why the country ain't worth shucks, an' why it orto be. My pa he makes them things so clear that even I can see. He proves how ever'thing should be, an' how it 's all amiss, But when I ask him questions, then he answers me like this : 66 " Oh, run away, You foolish lad ! Questions like yours Will drive me mad ! " But ma, she tells me all she knows, an' that much has to go. I wish she knew as much as pa, fer then I judge I 'd know. An' yet my questions all is 'bout the things boys like to know. I asked him once, I recollec', why things I drop don't go Up in the air instead of down, the way they alters do ; An' once I asked if God gits tired of holdin' office, too, The way men never does, pa says. I ask such things as these, But pa, he scowls an' says, although I ask him with a " please : " " Oh, run away ! " An' then I 'in fired " Questions like yours Do make me tired ! " 67 Laysfor Little Chaps But ma, she ans'ers all she can, an' holds me to her breast. I guess my pa does know the mos', but ma, she loves me best. 68 The Mournful Tale of the Snee Zee Familee THE MOURNFUL TALE OF THE SNEE ZEE FAMILEE THERE was a little yellow man whose name it was Ah Cheu, And every time that Mongol sneezed he told his name to you. This funny little yellow man had wedded Tish Ah Chee, And they, when certain time had passed, had children one, two, three. There was little Ah Cheu And Tish Ah Tsu, And the baby was named Ker Chee, And their Uncle Ker Chawl And his wife were all 69 Lays for Little Chaps Of the Snee Zee fam-i-lee, And when the mama stood and called her cliil- dren from the door, You would laugh and laugh for an hour and a half if never you laughed before. " Ah Cheu," she 'd say in her feminine way, " bring in the little Ker Chee, And Tish Ah Tsu, bring him in, too, to the Snee Zee fam-i-lee." Alas and alack ! but my voice will crack as the mournful tale I tell. To that sweet little band in the Mongol land a terrible fate befell. On a summer day in a sportive way they called one another all, And over and o'er the names they bore they would call and call and call. They called Ah Cheu And Tish Ah Tsu And the baby Ker Chee, Ker Chee, And their Uncle Ker Chawl, They called them all, Till they 're dead as the dead can be. Ah Cheu was tough, and was used to snuff, so he lived at his fate to scoff, 70 The Mournful Tale of the Snee Zee Familee But the rest are dead, as I 've heretofore said, for their heads they were all sneezed oft'. And this is the tale I have tried to wail of Ah Cheu and his little Ker Chee And Tish Ah Tsu and Ah Chee, too, of the Snee Zee fam-i-lee. 71 Lays for Little Chaps c "I'M PRAYING FOR YOU" THERE 'S a quaint little letter that lies on my stand, A quaint little letter in old-fashioned hand. It is lacking somewhat in rhetorical grace, And its capital letters at times lose their place. It scarcely would bear the most critical test ; Yet of all correspondence I hold it the best, For it ends ah, in love it was written all through : " Remember, my boy, that I 'm praying for you." 72 "7'w Praying for You" " Remember, my boy " Oli, an old boy am I, With a head that shines back to the laugh of the sky, But to her I 'm " my boy," and I always will be Till the white angel steps 'twixt my mother and me, And longer ; the love that has guarded my way I know will not cease at the close of the day, But will whisper me still from the infinite blue : " Remember, my boy, that I 'm praying for you." "I'm praying for you " God knows we all need That some heart of love to the Father shall plead, For our feet will but stumble on life's weary way, And we frequently find that we 're sadly astray. We say to our spirits, " Be brave and press on," But the spirit will faint, and the soul will grow wan ; And then comes the message, our strength to renew : " Remember, my boy, that I 'm praying for you." 73 Lays for Little Chaps Remember ! Oh, mother, I could not forget ; Still the dear, loving message my lashes will wet, As I read it here written in old-fashioned hand In the quaint little letter that lies on my stand ; And in fancy I see you, as often of old, When love kissed your face into beauty untold, As you knelt by rny cot With eyes strangely dim, Your boy does remember you're praying for him. 74 The Loving Mother THE LOVING MOTHER SHE had been a loving mother and a very faithful wife ; She had reared their seven children and had fitted them for life, And through all their days of childhood she had taken little ease, For whene'er she thought of resting, it was, " Mother, won't you please 75 Lays for Little Chaps " Won't you please to fix my bonnet ? " " I say, mother, where 's my hat ? " " Put this piece of ribbon on it." " Won't you fix my doll like that ? " So, from six o'clock of mornings until ten o'clock at night, She hurried, as though resting were a thing that was n't right ; And they said, the while she wearied in the ceaseless toil and strife : " She is such a loving mother, and she 's such a faithful wife ! " Of course they loved her greatly, as bairns and husband should ; As she grew thin with slaving they would mur mur, " She 's so good ! " But when, at times, a moment just for rest she fain would seize, (Of course they were but thoughtless) it was, " Mother, won't you please " Won't you mend this hole? It 's shocking." " T say, Sarah, where 's that pail ? " " Won't you please to fix this stocking ? " " Can't you make my boat a sail ? " 76 The Loving Mother And so, by mending, cooking, and a thousand labors pressed, She never quite could find the time to take the needed rest. But e'er, as she grew thinner in the constant toil of life, They said : " She 's such a mother, and she 's such a faithful wife ! " One day this little woman felt sadly worn and tired ; She could n't labor for the rest, although she still desired. They bore her tenderly to bed ; she weakened by degrees, And the house seemed half deserted with no " Mother, won't you please " Won't you please ? " The words unspoken Yet she heard in fitful dreams, As they knew by many a token, By the fever's prattled themes, Till one morn the great white angel took her gently to his breast, Whispering softly, " You have labored. Lo, I give to you my rest." 77 Lays for Little Chaps Once she sighed, "How will they manage?" Then she faded out of life. She was such a loving mother and was such a faithful wife. Sometimes I close my eyes and try to dream of her at rest, And finding life is easy in the country of the blest ; But it 's difficult to fancy, for in those white courts of ease Ofttimes, I judge, in dreams she hears, " Now, mother, won't you please 78 The Loving Mother " Won't you step down here a minute; They can spare you up that way ? Here 's this work ; I can't begin it I am needing you to-day." Then, perhaps, she starts, and whispers to some angel fair and white : " Oh, this resting 's pleasant, pleasant ; it is sweet, but is it right ? " For how can she in a moment break the habit of a life ? She was such a loving mother and was such a faithful wife. 79 Lays for Little Chaps THE DESPOT KINGS DO you know of the Despot Kings that stray Out of the Land of the Far- Away Into the Country of Now and Here, Despots and tyrants all, but dear? Do you know the blink that means, " Obey ! " And the midnight clamor that brings dismay To the subjects forlorn, who natheless spring To do the will of the Despot King ? Bundle of wriggles and wails and twists ; Vacant of face and eye ; Helplessly beating with Lilliput fists Who doth the Kings defy ? 80 The Despot Kings Once I was fief to a Despot King, And my heart bowed down like a broken thing, For he ordered me out when the night was chill, And I said, " I will not ; " and he said, " You will!" Oh, spare me the tale that is old, so old, For ever and aye till the stars grow cold The children of men must tribute bring To the midnight throne of a Despot King. Scanty in wisdom and strong of lung ; Living to sleep and cry ; Standing the pygmies and elves among Who doth the Kings defy ? Once I was fief to a Despot King, But the hours and the Seasons onward swing ; And out of my life he passed one day, And the world was dark, and its skies were gray; And now at the last I know full well That all of peace for my soul did dwell In the baby voice that made me spring To do his bidding, my Despot King. 6 81 Lays for Little Chaps Fair as a lily ; white and wee ; Holding my heart in thrall ; Oh, ghosts of the long dead years, to me My Despot King recall. 82 / Wish I Was an Engineer I WISH I was an engineer. I guess I 'd like to stand In the cabin of an engine, with a thing umbob in hand, And when I 'd pull that thingumbob the engine then would go Out, out into the night-time when the stars is hangin' low ; I 'd see the lights of houses goin' gleamin' gleam- in' past, 83 Lays for Little Chaps Like a last-campaign percession when it 's walkin' middliu' fast; And then I 'd pull the whistle-string an' hear the engine say : "Hey, there! you little mites of men, you'd better clear the way ! " I would n't mind just loads of black upon my face and clothes If I could be an engineer, the land o' goodness knows ! I wish I was an engineer. Then boys would look at me, An' say : " Hey, Jimmy, here 's de chap wot runs de engine. See ! " An' then I 'd pull the whistle-string an' never smile a bit When that big noise would scare the boys almost into a fit, Because I 'd know, as engineers, I guess, 'most always do, That if a noise scares little boys, they 're apt to like it, too. Just whiskin' through a hundred towns, straight onward hour by hour, While all the time the ceaseless " chug " beats out the Song of Power ; 84 I Wish I Was an Engineer Oh, you will talk admirin' of your Kings and Czars, maybe To be an engineer, you bet ! were good enough for me. I wish I was an engineer, to sit there like a Turk An' smile to see the fireman sweat while doin' of the work. I s'pose that Emp'rers has a snap, to which, of course, they 're born, But if I was an engineer I 'd look on them with scorn. Just sittin' in my cab up there and listenin' all the time 85 Lays for Little Chaps Unto the constant " chug-chug-chug," that ceaseless, mighty rhyme, And knowin' that a hundred lives was trusted unto me, I guess I 'd feel a sense of power ; I 'd catch the music's key And hear it singin' in my soul as down the world I 'd go, If I were but an engineer But, then, I ain't, you know. 86 It 's Hard to Say IT'S HARD TO SAY I MISS the patter-patter Of the tiny little feet ; I miss the prattled chatter ; I miss the kisses sweet. But I guess that Heaven 's lighter For the babe I laid to rest, And some angel's face is brighter As she holds her to her breast. I knew not how to spare her ; E'en yet my heart is numb, For life held nothing fairer Oh, wayward tears that come, Perhaps the Father sought her For His own home of light Because He felt without her No Heaven were perfect, quite. 87 Lays for Little Chaps Sometimes from life's long battle I turn, and sit a while, And seem to hear her prattle And see my darling's smile. And then I say, " It 's better. She missed the weary fray And Worry's chain and fetter ; " But, oh, it 's hard to say. It 's hard to say, for ever My heart will listen still For prattle sounding never, For baby laughter's trill : And where the shadows gather I look to see her stand My darling with the Father And reaeh to take her hand. I guess that Heaven 's fairer Because my babe is there, But, oh, this life is barer, With naught to lighten care. 88 It 's Hard to Say I try to say, " It 's better," But, though my lips obey, They speak but form and letter, For, oh, it 's hard to say. 89 Lays for Little Chaps A LITTLE, LITTLE FELLOW THERE 'S a little, little fellow, and he 's really very small, For he measures by my table and he is n't quite so tall ; And this little, little fellow in the evening seeks my knees, And he says: " Now won't oo tell me jus' the nicest 'tories, p'ease ? " And then I tell him stories that I wouldn't dare to say Are of the usual run of things we meet on every day; And the last thing that he asks me is, with story-telling through, " Now does oo 'pose when I 'in growed up I '11 know as much as oo ? " 90 A Little, Little Fellow Oh, little, little fellow, who sit upon ray knee, I know how all misplaced is this, the faith you rest in me. My wisdom is a fiction, and my stock of knowl edge small ; Like you, I guess the Father knows, and He is over all. I stumble on the journey, and I falter as I go, And where the days shall lead me, I never, never know. But, though I'm all unworthy of your faith, it cheers me, too, With <l Does oo 'pose, when I 'm growed up, I '11 know as much as oo ? " Oh, little, little fellow, I really hope you will. I want to feel when I leave off you '11 be ad vancing still ; And if sometimes I half have seen a light be yond the mist, I trust that by its purest rays your pathway may be kissed. But, whatsoe'er the years may bring, and what soe'er their lore, Someway I 'm hoping here to-night, as I have hoped before, 91 Lays for Little Chaps That you may keep some part, at least, of faith in me you knew When oft you asked if" When I 'm growed I Ml know as much as oo." 92 The Baby's Faith THE BABY'S FAITH WE stood the other night before The little cottage that is home. I listened to her baby lore About the stars in yonder dome. 'T was baby prattle, yet I guess Perhaps she knows as much as I - This side she knows a little less, But more of things beyond the sky. Then, while she prattled on, a star A-sudden gleamed adown the world, As if some angel from afar A lance of flame had earthward hurled ; And baby looked, with sagest nod, As if to say : " I see I see ; " Then smiling said : " I dess 'at Dod Is frowin' stars down here to me." 93 Lays for Little Chaps And then she paused. A mighty thought Was struggling in her baby mind: Suppose such fusillade were fraught With danger, as she half opined, What then ? what then ? At this " suppose " The blue eyes wide and wider grew ; Then faith spoke out : " I dess Dod knows He won't hurt baby now don't 'oo ? " Oh, little one, my little one, Give me the faith so wholly thine. When life's skies darken and the sun Is hidden from this soul of mine, And when God's missiles from His sky Rain on my life-path, blazing, all, Let faith to doubting then reply : " No harm from Him shall e'er befall." And little one, my little one, If this sweet faith may ne'er be mine ; If still through fog of doubt I run And fear to trust the love divine, Yet none the less for you I pray The heart speaks, though the lips be dumb That Faith through all life's strife may say : " From Him, from Him no harm shall come." 94 When Brother Stiggins Come to Tea WHEN BROTHER STIGGINS COME TO TEA WHEN Brother Stiggins come to cull, he gen'ly stayed to tea ; An' ma would wash our faces all, an' frequen'ly spank me, An' then she 'd say, " You mus' be good, an' set still in your cheer, An' not ask twice fer things to eat when Brother Stiggins 's here." An' then we 'd go to table, an' the parson, he 'd ask grace, An' 'bout that time my brother, he would make an orful face ; 95 Lays for Little Chaps Then I M jus' snicker, an' my ma you ort her look to see, When Brother Stiggins come to call, an' when he stayed to tea. I s'pose the grace he allers said wus full ten minutes long, An' all the time his voice would sound a good deal like a song. He 'd ask the Lord to kindly heed the heathen in distress Who can't git chicken-pie like ours, an' other things that bless. An' then he'd say: " Eft ain't too much, jus' bless our Congress, too ; We know, dear Lord, there ain't a thing that You hain't power to do ; An' bless us common folks " An' then my brother, he 'd hunch me, An' 'neath the table we would fight, when he had come to tea. An' then he 'd say : " Dear Lord, forgive these wicked little boys Who seem possessed, by Satan's power, to make a dretful noise. 96 When Brother Stiggins Come to Tea Oh, let them not go down in wrath to wicked ness an' sin, An' 'specially, dear Lord, forgive the one that kicked my shin." An' when that grace wus ended, then my ma would leave her place, An' say, " Excuse me w'ile I 'tend to these here younguns' case." An' then she 'd take us to the shed, my brother Joe an' me, An' argue with us with a strap, when he had come to tea. I don't blame ma ; I never did. We 'd act like all possessed ; An' course it 's wrong to make a row when things is bein' blessed ; An,' too, it 's right to ask a grace, fer grace is what we need To git along with folks we meet an' not run all to seed. But, still, consid'rin' that us boys wus pretty middlin' young, An* seein' that the parson's prayer wus mighty nearly sung, ? 97 Lays for Little Chaps I now contend, an' allers shall, although per haps I 'm wrong, When Brother Stiggins come to tea his grace wus too blamed long. Her Faith Never Falters MY little daughter comes to me, And whispers, " I am sorry ; " And I I take her on my knee And tell her not to worry ; And then I kiss her, and she knows How tenderly I love her. We 're just two children, I suppose ; I not a whit above her. And then she lays her cheek to mine, And says, " I love you dearly ; " And in my eyes the teardrops shine My heart will act so queerly. She says, " My papa is so good," Though I 'in unworthy of her. Dear little type of maidenhood, I love her, oh, I love her. 99 Lays for Little Chaps I think sometimes I VI like to go And tell her, " I am sorry," For, oh, my feet do falter so 'Mid life's unending worry. Dear, loyal heart ! Suppose I should, (I have done so or nearly) She 'd only say : " My papa 's good. I love him, oh, so dearly." So, 'mid the storm of life and years, My little daughter's kisses And loyal faith have dried my tears, And cares exchanged for blisses. And, as I write, if tears will start, They 're tears of gladness merely, For these words bless my weary heart " I love my papa dearly.' 100 MOTHER used to come ami say : " Come little boy ; it 's time to rise. Wake right up without delay ; Shake yourself, and rub your eyes." An' I'd say: "Huh! Wha Ye-e-es," and then Go right off to sleep again. Soon she'd come again and say, Just as gently as before : " Wake, and see this lovely day. Don't go to sleep, dear, any more." An' I 'd say : "Yes I 'm coming; " then Go right off to sleep again. 101 Lays for Little Chaps Did n't matter though ; no less Patient, gentle, kind was she When she came and said : " I guess My little boy asleep must be." An' I said : " I '11 get up," and then Went right off to sleep again. Then my father came to call. 'T was but little that he said ; Just one word, and that was all, Just one word, and that, " A\-fred !" Just one word, you see, but then I did n't go to sleep again. Just that difference ! But, you see, I Ve been thinking, here alone, Could my mother now call me In the gentle, loving tone Of the past, I 'd wake, and then I would n't go to sleep again. 102 THE SONG OF SONGS WRITE me a song," said the Master, " that shall ring through the halls of time ; A song that shall thrill my children and urge them to deeds sublime." So the poet touched his wonderful harp and sung in a minor key How out of Earth's care, and its travail, the soul rises pure and free ; How under the face of laughter there throbbeth the heart of pain, Yet he who doth battle and conquer, the heights of the blest shall gain. He sang of the lesson of sorrow, the meaning of trouble and tears, 103 Lays for Little Chaps And the guerdon that conies to the faithful after the strife of years. But the Master stood unmoved. Then the poet struck his harp again, a wild, triumphant lay That told of the nations' battles, their ceaseless strife and fray ; And through it one saw the armies as they marched and countermarched, And heard the groans of the dying, the gurgle from lips pain-parched. Then he told in a sweeter, gentler strain that ravished the listening ear How the dear God loves His children, and cares for their struggles here, And how He will guide and lead them, after the toil and strife, Gently, oh, gently upward to the wonderful ' Hills of Life. But the Master stood unmoved. Then the poet's soul was weary, and he sung of the brood of care Who dwell in the haunts and purlieus, with Want as a spectre there ; 104 The Song of Songs And the song that he sang was tragie ; it sobbed with a chord of pain For the haunted, the starved, the weary, whose tears fall down like rain ; And under the throbbing music was a male diction heard For those who have wronged His children, and eyes with tear-drops blurred. There was loathing and stern abhorrence for these, the favored few, Who heed not the old, old message : Do as ye 'd have them do. But the Master stood unmoved. And then through the open doorway stole the sound of a childish voice, Ringing in happy laughter, making the soul rejoice, And the poet caught its music, for the laughter was dear to him, And his heart breathed out its story, though his eyes with tears were dim ; And, oh, the wonderful music ! It reached to the blue sky's dome, Telling of peace and gladness in the beautiful Land of Home, 105 Lays for Little Chaps Of the dear little feet that patter, of the lips that our own caress For the poet forgot his heartache when his little one came to bless. And the Master's eyes were dim. 106 A Song for the Babies A SONG FOR THE BABIES NOW here is a song for the babies, who Are dreadfully puzzled just what to do With their ten little fingers and ten little toes, Their two little ears, and their one little nose, And their queer little mouth, down under their eyes, Which they open to laugh, and straightway it cries, To the total surprise, and the wonder and doubt Of the wee little babies I 'm singing about. 107 Lays for Little Chaps A song for the babies who lie and blink, And really imagine they 're trying to think, Thinking of things they can't understand, Of why they can't eat each chubby, fat hand ; For they eat it, and eat it it cuts such a "figger"- And the more that they eat it, the more it grows bigger ; And this is enough, past a question or doubt, To puzzle the babies I 'm singing about. A song for the babies who laugh and coo As only a baby knows how to do, And they talk in a language none understand Save those who have travelled in Babyland ; And the ones who have travelled, the babies know, Are only the mammas who love them so ; Though sometimes a papa can half make out The coo of the babies I 'm singing about. A song for the babies God bless them all, So pitiful helpless, so daintily small ; Who only can wonder what all is about, The hurry and bustle, the worry and doubt ; 108 A Song for the Babies Who only can wonder, and never can know Till dawnlight has faded and morning dews go. The babies, whose laughter sets trouble to rout God bless the wee babies I 'm singing about. 109 Lays for Little Chaps t THE LITTLE BOY WHO SAW SANTA OLAUS THE chimney was so narrow, and the chimney was so small, And Santa Glaus had grown so fat through summer and the fall, That when he brought his Christmas pack to give the youngsters cheer He just looked at that chimney, and he said : " Oh, dear ! Oh, dear ! " 110 The Little Boy who saw Santa Glaus And little Willie Wiggins, who was listening in his bed, Was very sorely troubled for he heard what Santa said, Till a pleasant thought came to him, and a happy smile he wore As he said : " I guess I '11 'vite him if he won't come in the door." So little Willie Wiggins, in his little nightdress, crept From out the cosy nest in bed where mamma thought he slept ; And the little bare feet pattered across the frozen floor ; And the little fingers fumbled at the cold lock of the door ; And the bolt squeaked out in anger : " I will never ope, because Just then the door flew open wide, and there stood Santa Claus ! Such a funny, funny fellow, and with such a cheery grin, And Willie's heart went pit-a-pat as he said : " P'ease come in." Ill Lays for Little Chaps Then Santa Glaus stepped back and tied his reindeer to a post, While Willie stood beside the door and froze and froze, almost. His face just beamed with laughter as straight way he came back ; And you should have seen the presents in his lovely, lovely pack ! And he picked up Willie Wiggins and hid him in his coat, And Willie merely said, " My-ee ! " his pleasure to denote. He really was so happy that he could n't well say more At sight of all the presents Santa spread upon the floor. Then Santa kissed him gently, and said : " W T hy, bless your heart ! It 's getting very, very late ; I fear that I must start, For I Ve many, many presents for a million children more, Where the chimneys are not narrow, as I ascer tained before." Then he hurried through the doorway, and he scampered to his sled ; 112 The Little Boy who Saiv Santa Claus And Willie beard the sleigh-bells as he pattered off to bed, And in his dreams throughout the night he wore a smile, because He was the only little boy who e'er saw Santa Claus. 113 Lays for Little Chaps SHE'S GONE AWAY LIKE to take her in my arms ; Like to soothe her as I did, Shielding her from wee alarms, On my loving bosom hid ; Wish that 1 could hear her voice Ringing out in baby play, Calling on me to rejoice ; But I can't she 's gone away. Sorry that sometimes I said, " Do go 'way ! You bother me." Now there 's quietness instead. And I long to bothered be. 114 She 's Gone Away Why, I 'd give the best I know Just to hear her romp and play, And I 'd let my writing go, But I can't she 's gone away. There were roses, great an' small, In her hand that day that day ; She the sweetest bud of all And she bothered me ! I say ; Used to bother me ! when I, . ' I would give the daylight's grace Just to hear her romping nigh, Making riotous the place. House is very quiet now, Very orderly and neat, Toys not lying anyhow, Pitfalls for my careless feet ; No one comes to worry me In my work, though oft forbid, Clam'rous for a thron ing knee, But I wish I wish she did. 115 Lays for Little Chaps OH, little wee maiden, who sit and sing, Rocking yourself in a rockaby chair, What do the elfins who lazily swing On beams of the sunlight whisper you there? What do they whisper, that straight from your heart, A smile, creeping upward, illumines your eyes? What do they weave in their magical art From gossamer strands that they steal from the skies ? Dreams of the future, castles that stand In the beautiful world of a far-away land ; Castles of crimson and purple and gold ; Dreams that the wonderful morrows enfold. 116 Oh, Little Wee Maiden Oh, little wee maiden, the elfins take The gold of the sunset, the crimson of skies That blush into sleep ere the morning shall wake The world, oh, the world that is weary and wise; And the gold and the crimson they build into dreams, Into castles of splendor your eyes to delight ; And the moonlight or starlight still sparkles and gleams On jewels God strikes from the bosom of night. Sheen of the moonlight on diamonds of dew, All shining bright, little maiden, for you. All of the morrows still reaching away Nothing can bring like the dreams of to-day. Oh, little wee maiden, your song sinketh low, For the fairies of dreamland are calling, And soon shall my little one drowsily go Where the sleeptide is rising and falling ; And the elfins that swing on a tremulous beam, The last of the day that is dying, 117 Lays fo r Little Ch ap s Kiss hands to you still in the vanishing gleam. " Good night " and " Good night " they are sighing. Elfins will go and the dream fairies stay ; This it is comes at the close of the day. So come to me, little one, e'en as I write ; One sweet kiss, my darling ; one more and good night. 118 The Poor Little Birdies THE POOR LITTLE BIRDIES THE poor little birdies that sleep in the trees, Going rockaby, rockaby, lulled by the breeze ; The poor little birdies, they make me feel bad, Oh, terribly, dreadfully, dismally sad, For think of it, little one; ponder and weep The birdies must stand when they sleep, when they sleep ; And their poor little legs I am sure it is so They ache, and they ache, For they 're weary, you know. 119 Lays for Little Chaps And that is the reason that far in the night You may hear them say, " Dear-r-r ! " if you listen just right, For the poor little birdies that sleep on the bough Would like to lie down, but they do not know how. Just think of it, darling ; suppose you must stand On your wee brown legs, all so prettily planned ; Suppose you must stand when you wanted to sleep, I am sure you would call for your mamma and weep; And your poor little legs, they would cramp, I have guessed, And your poor little knees, they would call for a rest ; And you 'd cry, I am sure, For so weary you 'd be, And you 'd want to lie down, But you could n't, you see ; 120 The Poor Little Birdies And that is the reason why we should feel bad For the poor little birdies, who ought to be glad, For they want to lie down as they sleep on the bough ; They want to lie down, but they don't know how. 121 Lays for Little Chaps (JIVE ME THE FABLES GIVE me the fables, the old folk-lore Of the beautiful, mythical time, When I dreamed that the world was bright before And its hills were easy to climb ; When Santa Glaus came I knew that he did My quota of presents to leave, And his sleigh-bells jingled my dreams amid, On the wonderful Christmas Eve. Give me the fables Oh, never a doubt Puzzled my sister and me ; We were certain that Santa was roaming with out, And we laughed in our infantile glee 122 Give Me the Fables Till mother came softly, and said : " You must sleep, For Santa won't come till you do." Oh, that was a statement to make the flesh creep, So we tried hard to sleep would n't you ? Give me the fables. Don't tell me our bliss Was wholly a fanciful thrill, For the morning brought proof of his visit, I wis, Though you may dispute if you will. The engine that tooted, the ball that we threw, Till it landed the china amid Tf Santa Glaus brought not these gifts to us two, Will you please just to mention who did ? Give me the fables. Gray phantoms, at best, Are the things that we label as real ; Our gold endures not in the ultimate test, And fame is a mocker, we feel. 123 Lays for Little Chaps But the cheer and the joy of the girl and the boy Oh, Life, you have taught me this : While others may grasp at your shining alloy, I will hold to the fable of bliss. 124 A Song for the Little Chapss A SONG FOR THE LITTLE CHAPS HERE is a song for the little chaps, The little wee fellows who don't know why The round world turns ; and I guess, perhaps, That neither do you and neither do I. Here is a song for the comical mites, Round and rosy and fat and sleek, Who gaze in amaze on the world's queer sights ; And here is the blessing I cannot speak. Here is a song for the ones that gaze In queer consternation on finger and toe, And note they are moving in speechless amaze, And wonder who wound them and made the things go. 125 Lays for Little Chaps The dear little fellows who deem mother's breast Is all of the world, and a good world, too, I am singing to them, while they lie at rest ; And really what better is there to do? Here is a song for the babes that stand Nearer to God than the grown folk do ; Fresh little buds from the Heaven-land Who deem that the world is fair and new. Bundles of helplessness, dearer than all Yet born of the morning and kissed by its dew ; Feeble and wondering, blinking and small, Babes whom I love, I am sing ing to you. 126 When EC en Comes WHEN EVEN COMES WHEN the even comes and the angels light Their lamps in the fields of heaven ; When the wee birds twitter: "Good night, good night ; It is rest time and nest time 't is even," Oh, then to their mothers the children creep, For the poor little bodies are weary ; And they sing them and croon them all soundly asleep : " Oh, sleep thee, my dearie, my dearie. " Sleep thee, darling, sleep thee well ; Rock upon the Sleep Sea swell, Lost each baby sorrow. Rest and peace press down thine eyes ; Angels guard thee from the skies Thou shalt wake to-morrow." 127 Lays for Little Chaps When the even comes and our labor 's done, And we 're worn with our life's endeavor ; When faint is the light of our setting sun, And our hands are enfolded forever, Oh, then to our Father we children creep, For our hearts are so weary, so weary, And we hear His low voice through the life- giving sleep : " Oh, rest thee, my dearie, my dearie. " Rest thee, darling, rest thee well ; Here do love and blessing dwell, Lost each childish sorrow. Lo, I hold thee to my breast ; Rest thee, dear one, sweetly rest Here is Life's to-morrow." 128 At the Bottom of the Sea AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA DO you think you 'd like to be at the bottom of the sea, With the pollyhinkus swinging all around, And the gogglers, with their eyes big as mamma's custard pies, And the winkus that goes crawling on the ground, And the spry, (Oh, my eye !) The spry, spry, spry, The very, very, very, very, spry springaree That slides through the glare of the water everywhere On the shifting, lifting bottom of the deep blue sea? 9 129 Lays for Little Chaps At the bottom of the sea there is strangest mystery, For the queen of all the sprites is living there, With amber beads for eyes, and she lives on oyster fries, And she hates to hear the wicked sailors swear ; And her hair, It is fair ; It is fair, fair, fair ; It is very, very, very, very, very bright and fair ; And the fishes swim about through her palace in and out, Through the shifting, lifting water that is everywhere. But I want to tell you, dear, and I hope that you will hear, That really it is better to be living on the ground, Where the sights are not so queer, but the atmosphere is clear, And in order to enjoy it 't is n't needful to be drowned ; 130 For you know (It is so, And you should know, know) It is really, really chilly where the dim depths be ; And it 's surely very tough, yes, it certainly is rough, For you can't breathe a little in the deep blue sea. 131 Lays for Little Chaps DOROTHY'S the baby; she's but a tiny tot, But, oh, she knows so many things that I have long forgot. She knows the thrill of laughter ; she knows its music, too, And when her cheery voice rings out I listen would n't you? I listen, half-way smiling, and then it seems to me She knows just what the heaven is, and I 've forgot, you see. But one thing she knows better, e'en better than the rest ; She knows ah, well she knows it that her mother loves her best. 132 Dorothy's Wisdom I write it half in envy, for she is dear to me, And so I show her pictures as she sits upon my knee ; And I try to tell their stories in the words at my command. While she offers sage suggestions that I cannot understand. I listen to her chatter just to learn what she may tell ; I lay my siege unto her heart and think I 'in doing well, And, even as I think it, she leaves her throne of rest And toddles to her mother, the one that loves her best. Oh, Dorothy, my baby, I think perhaps you're right : There is no love like mother-love this side the land of light. Though scanty be your knowledge of the path that you must tread And though it be but baby lore that fills your little head, Your wisdom is the highest when you seek your mother still 133 Lay s for Little Ch ap s And deem her safest refuge from your every baby ill. I know that you are sagely right, yet grant my one request : If mother-love be best of love, please count mine second best. 134 The Teacher Knows THE TEACHER KNOWS ONE time my teacher said, says she : " It 's no use talkin' ; seems to me That you 're the worse boy that I 've got; You 're worser than the rest, a lot. I 've whipped you, an' I Ve scolded, too ; Don't make no difference what I do, You keep right on jus' zif I 'd not. Ain't you the worst boy that I've got? " 135 Lays for Little Chaps An' then my teacher said, says she : " Your case is always puzzlin' me. Now don't you know it hurts me, too, When scoldin' or a-whippin' you ? I always want you to be good An' actin' like a nice boy should, Because I love you." - Then she sighed, An' I I well, T up an' cried. Since then my teacher 's gone away, An' I don't go to school an' play, An' study some, 's I used to do Before my schoolin' days was through. 13G But still my Teacher says, says He : " I 'in teacliin' you as seems to me Is best ; with sorrow's sting an' blow I 'in teachin' you the way to go." An' then my Teacher says, says He : " If only you '11 look up to me Through eyes bedimmed with trouble's rain, You '11 learn the lesson hid in pain, An' know, though cruel seems the blow, 'T was dealt because I love you so." An,' though I'm weary an' oppressed, I guess mv Teacher knows the best. 137 Lay s for Little Ch ap s J OH, swimming is n't what it was ; The times have changed since when I used to swim six times a day, And then go in again. I did n't need a bathing suit In those old days of glee ; The bathing suit that nature gave Was good enough for me. 138 Swimming Isn't What It Was And if one didn't like the buff, Why, this thing can be said : The sun was always good enough To partly paint it red. The boys don't duck me as they did When I was three feet high, Nor dive beneath and pinch my legs Will some one tell me why ? No more when I a swim have had My mother says to me, " You 've been in swimming, you bad boy ; Your hair is wet, I see." And I don't tell her as I did, With heart inclined to thump, " No, ma'am, I have n't swimmed at all ; I wet it at the pump." Ah, times have changed ; the stingful switch No more is on my hide, As when my mother ascertained Her youthful son had lied. She used to say : " You 've been exposed To sickness all untold, And this, I think, my little boy, Will drive away a cold." 139 Lays for Little Chaps And then she warmed me ! I recall That scene through vistas dim. She made it lively for a time ; But, then : I had my swim ! Oh, golden days of long ago, Come back, come back again, For swimming is n't what it was ; The times have changed since then. 140 My First Autograpli MY FIRST AUTOGRAPH OH, don't I remember I guess that I do!- When you asked me to write in your book? The moon of December was piercing the blue, And the eyes of the stars seemed to look, As you stood in the shadow. Heigho ! but the world Has gone whirling and whirling since then ; But that was the night when the grass was impearled By the dewdrops asleep in the glen. Oh, don't I remember I certainly do ! How I puzzled one-third of a night, Till the last dying ember had fallen in two, To make up my mind what to write ? 141 Lays for Little Chaps Then I wrote ('t was n't new) : " The ro&e it is red, And the meek little violet 's blue, And the pink, it is sweet, " it was thus that I said " But not half so sweet as are you." Oh, don't I remember be sure that I do ! The staggering couplet I wrote ? I could n't have claimed for a moment 't was new 'T was my mother who told me to quote. But one thing I '11 say, as I look through the glow Of the dawn, little maiden, to you : Though I well might have written more sagely, I know, I could n't have written more true. 142 My Little Valentine MY LITTLE VALENTINE IF 1 could write a valentine To please a little love of mine ; If I could catch some knack of metre To make her deem the music sweeter Than song of birds, The drone of bees, The loo of herds, The whisp'ring breeze. Why, I would write this valentine To please a little love of mine. If I could write a valentine All worthy of this love of mine, Its tinkling words must sweetly beat To rhythm of her tripping feet ; 143 Lays for Little Chaps And it must reach The perfect key Of baby speech That gladdens me ; But, as such art were never mine, I kiss, instead, my valentine. 144 Hushaby, Lullaby HUSHABY, LULLABY HUSHABY, lullaby, my little men ; The Sandman conies, but he goes again. Hushaby, lullaby, wee little maids ; The round world turns and it seeks the shades, And Sleep comes stealing adown, adovvn, And closes the eyes of blue or brown, And he weaves his net and it holds you thrall - Hushaby, lullaby, little ones all. Hushaby, lullaby. One little star Is peeping adown from afar, so far That its great white light is a slender beam When it reaches the world where the babies dream ; 10 145 Lays for Little Chaps A slender beam that can only kiss The wee little heads for it came for this Ere it dies away in a glimmer small Hushaby, lullaby, little ones all. Hushaby, lullaby. Life is a maze Where blindly we wander through wearisome days, Through wearisome days when the spirit is numb, Till out of the shadows the little ones come ; Then mothers stoop to them to kiss and caress, And the souls of the fathers they gladden and bless ; For straight from the heavens God's angels they call Hushaby, lullaby, little ones all. 146 When Baby Bloweth Kisses WHEN BABY BLOWETH KISSES WHEN baby bloweth kisses From fingers pink and wee, Like some sweet rain of blisses To cheer my heart and me, I care not then how utter Or stern the day's demands, While I watch the flutter, flutter Of the waving little hands. 147 Lays for Little Chaps When baby bloweth kisses To me, upon the street, She sometimes says : " Now zis is A kiss 'at 's vewy sweet : " And I tell her ere I leave her 'T was better than the rest, And, faith ! I don't deceive her, For each of them is best. When baby bloweth kisses, The bees that seek their store In blossoms' pink abysses, Might turn to her for more ; And, oh, her laughter ringeth Like some sweet fairy bell ; And, oh, my old heart singeth A song no words may tell. When baby bloweth kisses Ye men whose years increase, While life the pathway misses To summer lands of peace, Now tell me if there lingers Elsewhere a single bliss To match the little fingers That waft to you a kiss. 148 7922 UCLA-Young Research Library PS3157 .W29 L 009 617 015 4 SOUT UNIVERSI L UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY AA 001 225 723 4 LOS ANGELES, CAUF;