Verse and Prose for Beginners in Reading Part 11

YOUTH AND AGE.

Impatient of his childhood, "Ah me!" exclaims young Arthur, Whilst roving in the wild wood, "I wish I were my father!"

Meanwhile, to see his Arthur So skip, and play, and run, "Ah me!" exclaims the father, "I wish I were my son!"

UPON SUSANNA'S FEET.

Her pretty feet Like snails did creep A little out, and then, As if they played at bo-peep, Did soon draw in again.

UPON A CHILD THAT DIED.

Here she lies, a pretty bud, Lately made of flesh and blood: Who as soon fell fast asleep, As her little eyes did peep.

Give her strewings, but not stir The earth that lightly covers her.

CHERRY-RIPE.

Cherry-ripe, ripe, ripe, I cry, Full and fair ones; come and buy!

If so be you ask me where They do grow, I answer, There, Where my Julia's lips do smile; There's the land, or cherry-isle, Whose plantations fully show All the year where cherries grow.

ANSWER TO A CHILD'S QUESTION.

Do you ask what the birds say? The sparrow, the dove, The linnet and thrush say, "I love and I love!"

In the winter they're silent--the wind is so strong; What it says, I don't know; but it sings a loud song.

But green leaves, and blossoms, and sunny warm weather, And singing, and loving--all come back together, But the lark is so brimful of gladness and love, The green fields below him, the blue sky above, That he sings, and he sings; and forever sings he-- "I love my Love, and my Love loves me!"

PROVERBS AND POPULAR SAYINGS.

He sees an inch afore his nose.

He takes the bull by the horns.

He that fights and runs away may live to fight another day.

He that goes a borrowing, goes a sorrowing.

He that has but four and spends five has no need of a purse.

He that knows not how to hold his tongue knows not how to talk.

He that lives on hope has but a slender diet.

He that plants trees loves others besides himself.

He that will steal a pin will steal a better thing.

He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

He's in clover.

His bread is b.u.t.tered on both sides.

His room is better than his company.

Hunger is the best sauce.

I have other fish to fry.

"ONE, TWO, THREE!"

It was an old, old, old, old lady, And a boy that was half past three; And the way that they played together Was beautiful to see.

She couldn't go running and jumping, And the boy, no more could he; For he was a thin little fellow, With a thin little twisted knee.

They sat in the yellow sunlight, Out under the maple-tree; And the game that they played I'll tell you, Just as it was told to me.

It was Hide-and-Go-Seek they were playing, Though you'd never have known it to be-- With an old, old, old, old lady, And a boy with a twisted knee.

The boy would bend his face down On his one little sound right knee, And he'd guess where she was hiding, In guesses One, Two, Three!

"You are in the china-closet!"

He would cry, and laugh with glee-- It wasn't the china-closet; But he still had Two and Three.

"You are up in Papa's big bedroom, In the chest with the queer old key!"

And she said: "You are _warm_ and _warmer_; But you're not quite right," said she.

"It can't be the little cupboard Where Mamma's things used to be-- So it must be the clothes-press, Gran'ma!"

And he found her with his Three.

Then she covered her face with her fingers, That were wrinkled and white and wee, And she guessed where the boy was hiding, With a One and a Two and a Three.

And they never had stirred from their places, Right under the maple-tree-- This old, old, old, old lady, And the boy with the lame little knee-- This dear, dear, dear old lady, And the boy who was half past three.

THE BIRD AND ITS NEST.

What does little birdie say, In her nest at peep of day?

"Let me fly," says little birdie; "Mother, let me fly away."

"Birdie, rest a little longer, Till the little wings are stronger."

So she rests a little longer, Then she flies away.

What does little baby say In her bed at peep of day?

Baby says, like little birdie, "Let me rise and fly away."

"Baby, sleep a little longer, Till the little limbs are stronger."

If she sleeps a little longer, Baby, too, shall fly away.

PROVERBS AND POPULAR SAYINGS.

Tell no tales out of school.

The bird that can sing, and won't sing, must be made to sing.

You have put the cart before the horse.