Sing! gangling lad, along the brink Of wild brook-ways of shoal and deep, Where killdees dip, and cattle drink, And glinting little minnows leap! Sing! slimpsy lass who trips above And sets the foot-log quivering! Sing! bittern, bumble-bee, and dove– Sing! Sing! Sing! Sing as you will, O singers all Who sing because you want […]

[R.H.] Little Julia, since that we May not as our elders be, Let us blithely fill the days Of our youth with pleasant plays. First we’ll up at earliest dawn, While as yet the dew is on The sooth’d grasses and the pied Blossomings of morningtide; Next, with rinsed cheeks that shine As the enamell’d […]

SONG [W.S.] With a hey! and a hi! and a hey-ho rhyme! O the shepherd lad He is ne’er so glad As when he pipes, in the blossom-time, So rare! While Kate picks by, yet looks not there. So rare! so rare! With a hey! and a hi! and a ho! The grasses curdle where […]

Wunst, ‘way West in Illinoise, Wuz two Bears an’ their two boys: An’ the two boys’ names, you know, Wuz–like ours is,–Jim an’ Jo; An’ their parunts’ names wuz same’s, All big grown-up people’s names,– Ist Miz Bear, the neighbers call ‘Em, an’ Mister Bear–‘at’s all. Yes–an’ Miz Bear scold him, too, Ist like grown […]

[W.W.] A little maid, of summers four– Did you compute her years,– And yet how infinitely more To me her age appears: I mark the sweet child’s serious air, At her unplayful play,– The tiny doll she mothers there And lulls to sleep away, Grows–‘neath the grave similitude– An infant real, to me, And she […]

[W.M.] Most-like it was this kingly lad Spake out of the pure joy he had In his child-heart of the wee maid Whose eerie beauty sudden laid A spell upon him, and his words Burst as a song of any bird’s:– A peerless Princess thou shalt be, Through wit of love’s rare sorcery: To crown […]

[R.B.] Whilst little Paul, convalescing, was staying Close indoors, and his boisterous classmates paying Him visits, with fresh school-notes and surprises,– With nettling pride they sprung the word “Athletic,” With much advice and urgings sympathetic Anent “Athletic exercises.” Wise as Lad might look, quoth Paul: “I’ve pondered o’er that ‘Athletic,’ but I mean to take, […]

[A.T.] Wind of the Sea, come fill my sail– Lend me the breath of a freshening gale And bear my port-worn ship away! For O the greed of the tedious town– The shutters up and the shutters down! Wind of the Sea, sweep over the bay And bear me away!–away! Whither you bear me, Wind […]

Last Thanksgivin’-dinner we Et at Granny’s house, an’ she Had–ist like she alluz does– Most an’ best pies ever wuz. Canned black burry-pie an’ goose Burry, squshin’-full o’ juice; An’ rozburry–yes, an’ plum– Yes, an’ churry-pie–um-yum! Peach an’ punkin, too, you bet. Lawzy! I kin taste ’em yet! Yes, an’ custard-pie, an’ mince! An’–I–ain’t–et–no–pie–since!

Old Man Whiskery-Whee-Kum-Wheeze Lives ‘way up in the leaves o’ trees. An’ wunst I slipped up-stairs to play In Aunty’s room, while she ‘uz away; An’ I clumbed up in her cushion-chair An’ ist peeked out o’ the winder there; An’ there I saw–wite out in the trees– Old Man Whiskery-Whee-Kum-Wheeze! An’ Old Man Whiskery-Whee-Kum-Wheeze […]

O the night was dark and the night was late, And the robbers came to rob him; And they picked the locks of his palace-gate, The robbers that came to rob him– They picked the locks of his palace-gate, Seized his jewels and gems of state, His coffers of gold and his priceless plate,– The […]

Sometimes I think ‘at Parents does Things ist about as bad as us— Wite ‘fore our vurry eyes, at that! Fer one time Pa he scold’ my Ma ‘Cause he can’t find his hat; An’ she ist cried, she did! An’ I Says, “Ef you scold my Ma Ever again an’ make her cry, Wy, […]

When frost’s all on our winder, an’ the snow’s All out-o’-doors, our “Old-Kriss”-milkman goes A-drivin’ round, ist purt’-nigh froze to death, With his old white mustache froze full o’ breath. But when it’s summer an’ all warm ag’in, He comes a-whistlin’ an’ a-drivin in Our alley, ‘thout no coat on, ner ain’t cold, Ner his […]

Such was the Child-World of the long-ago– The little world these children used to know:– Johnty, the oldest, and the best, perhaps, Of the five happy little Hoosier chaps Inhabiting this wee world all their own.– Johnty, the leader, with his native tone Of grave command–a general on parade Whose each punctilious order was obeyed […]

A Child-World, yet a wondrous world no less, To those who knew its boundless happiness. A simple old frame house–eight rooms in all– Set just one side the center of a small But very hopeful Indiana town,– The upper-story looking squarely down Upon the main street, and the main highway From East to West,–historic in […]

Even in such a scene of senseless play The children were surprised one summer-day By a strange man who called across the fence, Inquiring for their father’s residence; And, being answered that this was the place, Opened the gate, and with a radiant face, Came in and sat down with them in the shade And […]

Another hero of those youthful years Returns, as Noey Bixler’s name appears. And Noey–if in any special way– Was notably good-natured.–Work or play He entered into with selfsame delight– A wholesome interest that made him quite As many friends among the old as young,– So everywhere were Noey’s praises sung. And he was awkward, fat […]

Ah, Almon Keefer! what a boy you were, With your back-tilted hat and careless hair, And open, honest, fresh, fair face and eyes With their all-varying looks of pleased surprise And joyous interest in flower and tree, And poising humming-bird, and maundering bee. The fields and woods he knew; the tireless tramp With gun and […]

While any day was notable and dear That gave the children Noey, history here Records his advent emphasized indeed With sharp italics, as he came to feed The stock one special morning, fair and bright, When Johnty and Bud met him, with delight Unusual even as their extra dress– Garbed as for holiday, with much […]

The Hired Man’s supper, which he sat before, In near reach of the wood-box, the stove-door And one leaf of the kitchen-table, was Somewhat belated, and in lifted pause His dextrous knife was balancing a bit Of fried mush near the port awaiting it. At the glad children’s advent–gladder still To find him there–“Jest tickled […]