Only a baby! 'Es, sir, 'at 's so; 'At's all I've to say, THE LAST ARRIVAL. THERE came to port last Sunday night The queerest little craft, Without an inch of rigging on; I looked and looked and laughed! It seemed so curious that she Should cross the unknown water And moor herself within my roomMy daughter! oh, my daughter! Yet by these presents witness all And common-metre rhymes. She has no manifest but this; My daughter! oh, my daughter! Ring out, wild bells, and tame ones too! Ring in the little worsted socks! Ring out the muse! Ring in the nurse! Ring in the milk and water! Away with paper, pen, and ink! GEORGE W. CABLE. THE "COMING MAN.” A PAIR of very chubby legs A little kilt a little coat, Cut as a mother can, And lo! before us strides in state His eyes, perchance, will read the stars, Perchance their keen and flashing glance Those eyes that now are wistful bent That brow where mighty thought will dwell Where fierce ambition's restless strength Where science from now hidden caves New treasures shall outpour, 'Tis knit now with a troubled doubt, Are two, or three cents, more? Those lips that, in the coming years, Whose whispered words, on lightning flash, That, sternly grave, may speak command, Or, smiling, win control, Are coaxing now for gingerbread With all a baby's soul! Those hands those little busy hands So sticky, small, and brown, Those hands, whose only mission seems To pull all order down, Who knows what hidden strength may lie Ah, blessings on those little hands, THE BALD-HEADED TYRANT. OH! the quietest home on earth had I, Oh the despot came in the dead of night, He ordered us here, and he sent us there, Though never a word could his small lips speak, - Till I cried, in a voice of stern command, But his abject slaves they turned on me; Like the bears in Scripture they'd rend me there, The while they worshipped on bended knee The ruthless wretch with the missing hair; For he rules them all with relentless hand, This bald-headed tyrant from No-man's-land. Then I searched for help in every clime, Old Time he looked with a puzzled stare, Watch what my hour-glass does for him. Old Time is doing his work full well : Could I stay the touch of that shrivelled hand, For the loss of peace I have ceased to care; And hurried along without a tooth; This bald-headed tyrant from No-man's-land. MARY E. VANDYNE A HINT. OUR Daisy lay down In her little nightgown, On forehead and cheek, On lips that would speak, But found themselves shut to their gain. Then foolish, absurd, To utter a word, I asked her the question so old, Ask over and over, As if they were surer when told. There, close at her side, A puzzled surprise Shone in her gray eyes 'Why, that's why I kiss you!" she said. OUR DARLING. BOUNDING like a football, Splitting dolly's head; Putting little pussy cat Building shops and houses, Spoiling father's hat; Hiding mother's precious keys Underneath the mat; Jumping on the fender, Every word we say; Shouting, laughing, tumbling, Roaring with a will, Present- bringing sunshine; THE NEW BABY. I'SE a poor little sorrowful baby, My mamma's dot a new baby; Dod dived it, he did, yesterday; And it kies, and it kies, so defful, I wish he would tate it away. Don't want no sweet little sister, I want my dood mamma, I do, I want her to tis me, and tis me, And tall me her pessus Lulu. Oh, here tums nurse wis the baby! To play wis 'most every day; And I dess, I dess—say, Bidget, Ask Dod not to tate it away. |