Not very long back,
And 'tis said to his lasting disgrace,
That he never was seen
With his hands at all clean,
Nor yet ever clean was his face.
To see so much dirt,
And often and well did they scour;
But all was in vain
He was dirty again
Before they had done it an hour.
He reluctantly went
With water to splash himself o'er;
But he left the black streaks
All over his cheeks
And made them look worse than before.
May much like this lad,
Be dirty and black, to be sure:
But good boys are seen
To be decent and clean,
Although they are ever so poor.
Jane Taylor.
AH, WHY WILL MY DEAR.
WASHING AND DRESSING.
And cry, and look sulky, and pout?
To lose her sweet smile is a terrible loss:
I can't even kiss her without.
But would you be dirty and foul?
Come, drive that long sob from your dear little breast,
And clear your sweet face from its scowl.
And the soap has got into your eye,[3]
Will the water grow warmer for all that you've said?
What good will it do you to cry?
But only for kindness and care,
That I wash you and dress you and make you look neat,
And comb out your tanglesome hair.
But pay me for all with a kiss,
That's right—take the towel and wipe your wet eye:
I thought you'd be good after this.
Jane Taylor.
O POOR LITTLE ROBIN.
Say, what are you doing to-day?
The winter is coming, then what will you eat?
And where are you going to stay?
You never can live there again;
O come, pretty robin, come into our door,
We'll shelter you from the cold rain.
And things very nice for your food;
Come, come, pretty robin; O, how can you think
To fly off again in the wood!
So hungry, so cold and so wet,
May share in my cottage, and join in my song;
And they shall have something to eat.
O, HEAR THE CHICKENS.
They will no longer keep
Under their mother's wing;
And shall I run and catch them?
O no, I must not touch them,
'T would be a cruel thing.
She wishes them to stay
Within the little coop:
I wish that they were kinder,
And not so slow to mind her,
So swift away to hop.
And struggles to get out,
She feels so very sad:
I wish that ev'ry chicken
Would stop its merry pippin',
And run to make her glad.
Or stop to laugh and play,
When mother calls me home:
I'll quickly run to meet her,
With kindest kisses greet her,
Soon as she bids me come.
CHERRIES ARE RIPE.
Cherries are ripe,
O, give the baby one;
Cherries are ripe,
Cherries are ripe,
But baby shall have none:
Babies are too young to choose;
Cherries are too sour to use;
But by and by,
Made in a pie,
No one will them refuse.
Robin I see,
Picking one by one;
Shaking his bill,
Getting his fill,
Down his throat they run:
Robins want no cherry pie,
Quick they eat and off they fly.
My little child,
Patient and mild,
Surely will not cry.
Cherries are ripe,
But we will let them fall.
Cherries are ripe,
Cherries are ripe,
But bad for babies small
Gladly follow mother's will,
Be obedient, soft and still,
Waiting awhile,
Delighted you'll smile,
And joyful eat your fill.
HARK THE BELL.
THE SABBATH.
Hear it swell,
Sounding through the woods and fields,
Echoing o'er the hills and dales:
'Tis Sabbath day,
Do not stray,
Do not work or play.
Hear it swell,
Sounding through the woods and fields
Echoing o'er the hills and dales.
'Tis Sabbath day,
Don't delay,
Learn the heavenly way.
Hear it swell,
Sounding through the woods and fields,
Echoing o'er the hills and dales,
'Tis Sabbath day,
Sing and pray,
Listen and obey.
BABY IS CRYING.
[To be sung by older children.]
While mother is trying
To make him be happy and still;
How shall we relieve him,
Or what shall we give him?
A top or a whistle or bell?
He makes such a riot
That nobody else can be heard;
See how he dislikes her,
And wickedly strikes her,
O baby, how very absurd!
And sister and brother,
Who always are loving and true!
O, be not so naughty,
So cross and so haughty,
While we are so tender of you.
In quiet to keep him,
If better he will not behave:
Why won't he be kinder,
And love her and mind her?
Then all that trouble he'll save.
BABY IS SICK.
His face is very pale:
He will not laugh or play,
I wish that he were well.
Some pudding, or some pie?
What shall he have to eat?
I hate to hear him cry.
Such things would make him worse;
They are unwholesome too,
For children well, like us.
And we are very small;
Rich things do us no good,
We'll give him none at all.
THE APPEAL.
Hear my little song;
When my mother sweetly smil'd—
Who pass'd along?
Thy affection prove;
When my mother sweetly smil'd
Her look was love.
Do not make me cry:
When my mother sweetly smil'd,
Father pass'd me by.
LOVE MY FATHER.
Love my mother sincere.
Dearest father and mother,
Dearest sister and brother,
They my love
Shall prove.
My affection must share;
Love my neighbors so kindly,
Love myself, not too blindly;
They my love
Shall prove.
Those that hate me the while,
With concern I would cherish,
May their souls never perish,
But believe
And live.
Who my blessings hath giv'n,
And the Son, and the Spirit,
Three in One, shall inherit
Pure esteem,
Supreme.
SEE THE NAUGHTY KITTEN.
Playing with the knittin';
How she rolls the ball about?
How she pulls the stitches out?
Naughty, naughty kitten.
Will you try to teach her?
Bring the pretty little book,
See if in it she will look?
Do not let her scratch you.
All the while so dosy,
Pussy only mew'd and purr'd,
Would not read a single word,
Naughty, naughty pussy.
Knitting yarn is brittle,
Children should not do so ill,
They should learn to read and spell—
Not be full of prattle.
O WHAT A NAUGHTY DOG.
To quarrel with the pussy cat,
About a little piece of meat
That sister gave for them to eat;
Pussy too, looks very shy,
And lifts her back up very high.
See how she raises up her fur;
And now he snatches for the piece,
And now she's spitting in his face,
O for shame! poor dog and cat,
To quarrel for a thing like that.
And no such vile examples mind,
While dogs and cats may think it right
To quarrel for their appetite:
Children always should agree,
Both when they eat and when they play.
TO INFANT SCHOOL.
I hear the little bell;
O, come with me to infant school,
And learn to read and spell.
I do not like to wait;
O, come with me to infant school,
Or we shall be too late.
We must not stop to play;
O, come with me to infant school,
And I will lead the way.
We'll sweetly march and sing:
O, come with me to infant school,
The bell begins to ring.
O DON'T HURT THE DOG.
What good will it do you to drive him away?
Kind treatment is justly his right;
Remember how faithful he is to his charge,
And barks at the rogues when we set him at large,
And guards us by night and by day.
I think it should teach you one lesson at least,
You ought to act better than he;
And if without reason, or judgment, or sense,
Tray does as we bid him and gives no offence
How diligent Richard should be!
Jane Taylor.
TOLL THE BELL.
THE FUNERAL.
Toll the bell,
Ring the baby's knell;
Low with the dead
It must be laid.
Baby, farewell.
Toll the bell,
Ring the baby's knell;
Pale is its face,
And white its dress,
Baby, farewell.
Toll the bell,
Ring the baby's knell;
Slow from the hall
Moves the dark pall,
Baby, farewell.
Toll the bell,
Ring the baby's knell;
Now earth to earth
Neath the green turf,
Baby, farewell.
Toll the bell,
Ring the baby's knell;
Beyond the skies
Its spirit flies,
Baby, farewell.
PART III.
——
THE CLASS ROOM.
Songs of instruction are not always the most interesting with regard to taste: but there are occasional exceptions against this remark; nor does it apply with the same strictness in regard to young children that it does in reference to adults. Such songs should be associated with pleasant remarks and illustrations; and occasionally with such series of questions as may be suggested by the language which is sung. The songs in this department are adapted to children who have passed the period of prattling infancy.
CREATION.
That broad blue canopy,
Who made the glorious sun,
The moon to shine by night,
The stars with eye so bright,
He made thee, little one.
The nested birds that sleep:
And when their rest is done,
Doth guide them through the sky,
And feed them when they cry,
He loves thee, little one.
L. H. S.
QUESTIONS.
- Who made you?
- Who made the sky, the sun, the moon, and the stars?
- Who takes care of the birds and feeds them?
- Does the Lord take care of little children?
- Does he love them when they are his children?
THE ARK AND DOVE.
Sailing o'er waters dark,
And wide around:
Not one tall tree was seen,
Nor flow'r, nor leaf of green,
All, all was drown'd.
And o'er the billows dread,
A meek dove flew;
But on that shoreless tide,
No living thing she spied
To cheer her view—
With weary drooping head
To seek for rest;
Christ is thy ark, my love,
Thou art the tender dove,
Fly to his breast.
L. H. S.
QUESTIONS.
- Who built the ark?
- What was put into it?
- Was the rest of the world destroyed?
- For what?
- Why was the dove sent out, and why did she return?
- Why is Christ called an ark?
PLEYEL'S HYMN.[5]
That you need a Savior's love
That you are a sinner too,
All your wicked actions prove.
Angry passions rise within
And your lips speak what they feel,
Something tells you—there is sin.
But his heart was pure within;
Always gentle, kind and mild;
Child, you must be just like him.
B.
THE MOON IS VERY FAIR.
And rises very high;
I think it is a pretty sight,
To see it in the sky;
It shone upon me where I lay,
And seem'd almost as bright as day.
And scatter'd all about;
At first there seem a very few,
But soon the rest come out:
I'm sure I could not count them all
They are so very bright and small.
He blazes in the skies:
I dare not turn my face that way,
Unless I shut my eyes:
Yet when he shines our hearts revive,
And all the trees rejoice and thrive.
By his great power and might;
He is more glorious than the sun,
And all the stars of light:
But when we end our mortal race,
The pure in heart shall see his face.
Jane Taylor.
THE COMMANDMENTS.[6]
And ne'er before images bow,
I must not speak light of his name,
But pay to him every vow.
The Sabbath, so hallow'd and pure;
To honor my parents so dear,
That my life may the longer endure.
To what is impure or untrue;
I must not indulge discontent,
Or covet my neighbor his due.
To keep these commandments with zeal;
In the strength that through Jesus is giv'n
To those who are doing thy will.
GOOD LITTLE GIRLS.
As happily liv'd as good girls could desire;
And though they were neither grave, sullen, nor mute,
They seldom or never were heard to dispute.
They never are scratching or scrambling for it,
But each one is willing to give up her right,
They'd rather have nothing than quarrel and fight.
Directly she offers her sister a slice;
And not like to some greedy children I've known,
Who would go in a corner and eat it alone.
These good little girls would immediately run,
And not stand disputing to which it belong'd,
And grumble and fret and declare they were wrong'd.
They were willing to yield, and give up their own way;
Then let us all try their example to mind,
And always like them, be obliging and kind.
Jane Taylor.
HOW I LOVE MY TENDER MOTHER.
How I love my father dear;
How I love my little brother,
And my sister so sincere:
They are all both kind and true,
And they love me dearly too.
He shall my affection share;
Be he sinful, be he holy,
He may claim my earnest prayer:
Let me not unfeeling prove,
Nor myself too dearly love.
God on high demands the most;
God the Father in the heav'n,
God the Son and Holy Ghost:
Three in One and One in Three;
Be thou all in all to me.
The child may be taught, in connexion with this song, how that "love is the fulfilling of the law"—love that includes all the characteristics mentioned in the gospel. The last stanza introduces also the subject of the blessed Trinity, in such a manner as to invite explanation.
THE BEES.
THE BEES.
The bees in winter stay?
The flow'rs are gone they fed upon,
So sweet in summer's day.
And have enough to eat:
Amid the storm they're clean and warm,
Their food is honey sweet.
Did father feed them so?
I see no way in winter's day
That honey has to grow.
The bees laid up their store
Of honey drops in little cups,
'Til they would want no more.
Are they as large as ours?
O no, they're all made nice and small
Of wax, found in the flow'rs.
Is now in mercy giv'n,
And we must strive long as we live
To lay up stores in HEAV'N.
I SAW AN OLD COTTAGE.
And only of mud was the floor;
'Twas all falling into decay,
And snow drifted in at the door.
In a cottage so dismal and rude;
And though keenest hunger they felt,
They'd scarcely a morsel of food.
And to their poor mother would run—
"O, give us some breakfast," they said,
Alas! their poor mother had none.
But see such a hovel as this;
And in a poor cottage of clay,
Learn what real misery is.
I never will squander away;
While thousands of people there are
As poor and as wretched as they.
Jane Taylor.
THE CHATTERBOX.[7]
THE CHATTERBOX.
To chatter and talk without stopping;
There was not a day but she rattled away,
Like water forever a dropping.
'Twas vain to endeavor to still her;
Nor once did she lack to continue her clack,
Till again she lay down on her pillow.
That much tongue and few brains are connected?
That they are suppos'd to think least who talk most?
Their wisdom is always suspected.
With a little good sense and exertion,
Who knows but she might now have been our delight,
Instead of our jest and aversion!
Jane Taylor.