Part 14 (2/2)

I'll slip through the crack, And I'll never come back, Oh! I'll _never_ come back any more, Ma'am!

A VALENTINE.

Oh, little loveliest lady mine!

What shall I send for your valentine?

Summer and flowers are far away, Gloomy old Winter is king to-day, Buds will not blow, and sun will not s.h.i.+ne; What shall I do for a valentine?

Prithee, Saint Valentine, tell me here, Why do you come at this time o' year?

Plenty of days when lilies are white, Plenty of days when sunbeams are bright; But now, when everything's dark and drear, Why do you come, Saint Valentine dear?

I've searched the gardens all through and through, For a bud to tell of my love so true; But buds are asleep, and blossoms are dead, And the snow beats down on my poor little head; So, little loveliest lady mine, Here is my heart for your valentine.

JAMIE IN THE GARDEN.

How is a little boy to know About these berries all, That ripen all the summer through, From spring-time until fall?

I must not eat them till they're ripe, I know that very well; But each kind ripens differently, So how am I to tell?

Though strawberries and raspberries, When ripe, are glowing red, Red blackberries I must not touch, Mamma has lately said.

And though no one of these is fit To touch when it is green, Ripe gooseberries, as green as gra.s.s, At Grandpapa's I've seen.

And peas are green when they are ripe; Some kinds of apples too.

But they're not berries; neither are These currants, it is true.

These currants, now! why, some are red, And some are brilliant green.

”Don't eat unripe ones!” said Mamma.

But which ones did she mean?

To disobey her would be wrong.

To leave them I am loath.

I really _can't_ find out, unless-- Unless I eat them both!

[_He eats them both._]

SOMEBODY'S BOY (NOT MINE).

When he was up he cried to get down, And when he was in he cried to get out; And no little boy in Boston town Was ever so ready to fret and pout.

Poutsy, oh!

And fretsy, oh!

And spend the whole day in a petsy, oh!

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