OH, where do they sell all the lilies and roses, The “pandies” and “pudsies” and funny snub noses, The dimpled wee “chin-chops” and fat pinky knees, Of the dear little, queer little, babies one sees?
And what would they want for some soft golden curlies; A pair of blue eyes, and two teeth white as pearlies; A mouth like a rosebud, just made for a kiss? I fear they would ask me a great deal for this.
And where is the gentle school-mistress who teaches The mothers and grannies their sweet baby speeches, Their “lovies” and “dovies” and tender “coo-coos” That the newest new pet understands in two twos?
ALAS! and alas! you may search through the city, Yet ne’er find the shop where they sell things so pretty; But I think it’s the angels from far, far away, Teach the mothers and grannies the sweet things they say.
THERE was once a dear little, queer little cat, The sweetest kit e’er seen, Who made up her mind to journey To town to see the queen.
Mr. Puggy, a teacher of manners and dancing, Gave her a lesson or two. “Observe my instructions, Miss Tabby, And be sure to do as I do.”
But Tabby espied her saucer of milk, And made a dart at that, While Pug distressfully murmured, “What a very ill-bred cat!”
“Girls always spoil sport!” growled Mark, as he saw Dick ready to give in.
“We shan’t hurt the boat! Don’t be silly, Dolly. Even if the sails do get wet, Tom can get fresh ones. And it will be better for him to know whether it will sail or not.” And the twins departed for the seashore with the boat in their hands.
How they wished they had taken Dolly’s advice, when they saw the ship, which had sailed so gallantly at first in the little cove, break from its moorings and drift out to sea!
Tom had worked very hard for the prize of £2 offered in a weekly paper for the best-made boat, not only for the sake of the money, but because the toys were to go to the Home for Orphans. And now all his work was gone.
“Oh! well, it can’t be helped,” he said good-naturedly, when his first feeling of anger had passed; “but I wish you chaps would leave my things alone.”
“But it can be helped,” said Dolly, rushing in. “See! a fisherman brought it to shore, and it isn’t a bit broken.”
So the orphans got the boat after all, and had great fun sailing it in the river near the Home; and what was perhaps more wonderful, Tom won the prize.