Part 3 (1/2)

n.o.bODY

”n.o.body b'oke it! It cracked itself; It was clear 'way up on the toppest shelf.

I--p'rhaps the kitty-cat knows!”

Says poor little Ned, With his ears as red As the heart of a damask rose.

_n.o.body_ lost it. I carefully Put my cap just where it ought to be (No, 'tisn't ahind the door), And it went and hid, Why, of course it did, For I've hunted an hour or more.

”_n.o.body tore it_! You know things will Tear if you're sitting just stock stone still!

I was just jumping over the fence-- There's some spikes on top, And you have to drop Before you can half commence.”

n.o.body! Wicked Sir n.o.body!

Playing such tricks on my children three!

If I but set eyes on you, You should find what you've lost!-- But that, to my cost, I never am like to do!

[Ill.u.s.tration: n.o.body]

MY GARDEN

I have a little garden All edged with four-o'clocks; And some of it is sunflowers, And some is hollyhocks.

And all around the border I've planted little stones-- A lot of round beach pebbles-- To keep out Rover's bones.

And then, as plain as daylight, A sign, ”Keep off the gra.s.s,”

Warns hens and everybody That here they shouldn't pa.s.s.

But Rover makes his pantry Right in that garden patch; And all the hens and chickens Think that's the place to scratch.

ANNA BURNHAM BRYANT.

MAMMA'S LITTLE HOUSEMAID

I am mamma's little housemaid, don't you see?

They couldn't get along so well if it were not for me; For every Friday morning I take my little broom, And sweep and sweep the pretty rugs that lie in mamma's room.

And then I sweep the door-steps off, and do not leave a crumb, And wipe the dishes, too, and oh, it is the bestest fun!

And then, when mamma starts to bake, she says that maybe I Can make all by my very self a cunning little pie.

When I am big enough for school I think I'll like to go, But truly I would rather stay at home, you know, And help my mamma do the work, and bake a little pie, For mamma says all little girls, if they would only try, Can help their mammas very much with willing hands and feet, By sweeping rugs and door-steps and keeping porches neat.

So I am mamma's housemaid, and she pays me with a kiss, And papa, when he comes at night, says, ”Bless me, what is this!

How bright and clean the rugs do look!” And then I laugh and say That my little broom and I work for mamma every day.