The first line was written on the outside, the rest on the inside.
Open this quick And see the trick, If there’s a trick about it; This thing is nice And low in price, But one could do without it.
Some rack their brains With toil and pains, In making things fantastic; But soon they’ll find If they’re not blind, They’ll need a purse elastic.
A loving heart wears a smiling face, And a cheerful mind is a source of joy, She that carries both adorns her race, And shines bright as gold without alloy.
of Lizzie Leonard, a very tall young girl, at her mother’s home near Middleboro, Mass., December, 1881.
The meanest of creatures low down are found And slimy reptiles crawl upon the ground, The innocent birds live in purer air, And blest are they who find their level there.
That you may grow to a loftier size, And increase in wisdom as up you rise, And ne’er let your height your head turn dizzy, Shall be my prayer, my young friend Lizzie.
If in your mind good seed you sow, And nourish it with tender care, A splendid crop of fruit you’ll grow, And reap the kind you planted there.
Watch how regular Seasons come and go, Summer brings the rain, Winter brings the snow, And the sweet flowers Never out of tune, Always wait their turn And blossom in June.
Thus from kind nature This good lesson learn, Patiently to wait Till it is your turn, Then like the flowers Meekly take your place, And by pure living Ornament your race.
By the side of a beautiful river Whose clear waters continue to flow, There may you live, happy forever, And in wisdom and loveliness grow.
The little flowers perfume the air. And make the earth look pretty and fair, And that you, my dear, will do your share To make life sweet, is father’s prayer.
The sun ne’er fails to do his duty, Nor moon and stars to show their beauty, Thus sweet little girls are taught the way, To do their duty day after day, To work and shine in every place, And fill the big world with love and--Grace.
The infant at home Unable to roam, And enter in the fields of strife, Drops on hands and knees, In--go as you please, And starts in the gallop of life.
He often is dumped And severely bumped, When he is learning how to walk; But he keeps trying, Even while crying, Until able to tread the chalk.