The Dance On The Beach

A star-fish stood on the sandy shore To list to the seaside band. As with rumble-tumble dash and roar The waves swept over the land.

The man in the moon from his binnacle soon Suspended the beacon-light. “Aha!” cried the star-fish, full of glee, “I’ll have a nice dance to-night!”

A jig and a hornpipe all alone He danced to a lively tune. And capered about with his shadow there In the silvery light of the moon.

Then up came others by twos and twos, Some of them real old salts. Who danced the Polka, Virginia Reel, And the new Society Waltz.

With twinkling feet they skipped about Like elves on the shining sand, And kept good time to the rhyme and chime Of the famous seaside band.

They danced and capered, and skipped and tripped. As merry as they could be, Till the tide came up with a sudden rush And swept them into the sea.

The Bee’s Mistake.

A little girl by the name of Rose, In a quiet corner sat. When a honey-bee sailed round and round The rim of her garden-hat.

Said the bee, “ah me! so sweet a flower I haven’t beheld to-day!” And he came so near to the pretty Rose, That she screamed as she ran away.

A Light Headed Family

I.

An excellent family, every one said, But rather too airy and light in the head; Why, it was a fact Good judgment they lacked, And many, yes, many were certainly cracked!

II.

There was Mrs. Henpen with a very stiff cap; And Master Gooseloose—a remarkable chap; And Mr. Foochoo With a very long cue, And Bo-peep, and Dorking, and little Boy-Blue.

III.

They made up a party to visit the moon, Each member to furnish a private balloon; They said, “We will fly Along through the sky, And anchor ourselves to the stars by and by.”

IV.

That they had any brains there is reason to doubt, For the wind blew a gale on the day they set out, And Foochoo, don’t you see, Was caught fast in a tree! Oh never was Chinaman madder than he!

V.

They wanted to stop, but they couldn’t, you know, For, having once started, they just had to go; And lightly they soared, And strange countries explored. But they hadn’t the least bit of ballast on board.

VI.

Now over the hills they went thumpety-thump! ’Gainst each other’s heads they went bumpety-bump! Now here and now there, But it didn’t much scare This light-headed family, I do declare!

VII.

A furious gust blew them all in a bunch; “How jolly!” cried Mrs. Henpen. “Let’s have lunch!” Ah, she was too rash! There soon was a crash! And the light-headed family all went to smash!

THE SUNFLOWER DANCE.

“COME, DANCE WITH ME!” THE SUNFLOWER SAID, TOSSING HIS LOCKS ABOUT, TILL THEY STOOD LIKE AN AUREOLE ROUND HIS HEAD. “LET’S DANCE ’TILL THE STARS COME OUT!”

HE LED THE WAY, AND IN SINGLE FILE THEY DANCED THROUGH THE FIELDS OF CORN; WHILE THE SUN WENT DOWN WITH A CHEERFUL SMILE, AND LAUGHED WHEN HE ROSE NEXT MORN!

Seven Little Fairies.

Seven little fairies came When the storm was ended;

Seven little fairies came Drest up very splendid!

Hand in hand they marched along, Keeping close together;

Driving gloomy clouds away, Bringing back clear weather!

Which Shall Win?

Johnny was a little boy, but he had a wish When he went a-fishing, to haul in the biggest fish; Hook and line so strong as his, surely could not fail, Johnny thought, to catch a shark, or perchance, a whale.

Early on a rainy day, Johnny on the shore Felt a tugging at his line, never felt before; Then he straightened up, and said, opening wide his eyes, “Cracky! now I guess I’ve got something like a prize!”

Johnny pulled and tugged away; then he gave a look; Saw a monstrous turtle fastened firmly to his hook; Took a firmer hold and said, “Which of us shall win? I must either pull you out, or you’ll pull me in!”

Little Dame Pansy.

LITTLE DAME PANSY PUT ON HER BEST BONNET, THERE WASN’T A RIBBON OR FEATHER UPON IT, AND WALKING ALONG THROUGH A PATH THAT WAS SHADY, SHE HAPPENED TO MEET WITH A VERY OLD LADY.

THIS VERY OLD LADY, THERE WAS NO DENYING, WAS VERY MUCH TROUBLED, HER CAP-STRINGS WERE FLYING. “O DEAR MISTRESS PANSY!” SHE CRIED, “I’LL GO CRAZY! FOR SOME ONE HAS STOLEN MY LOVELIEST DAISY!”

“YOU OUGHT TO BE THANKFUL!” THE LITTLE DAME PANSY MADE ANSWER, “THAT SOME ONE HAS TAKEN A FANCY TO SOME OF YOUR CHILDREN. DON’T BE IN A PASSION! FOR DAISIES, YOU KNOW, ARE THE TIP OF THE FASHION!”

Bad Luck.

A little Brittany maid Who never wore gowns of silk, Sat down all alone On a great round stone, With a nice bowl of bread and milk.

A pert little magpie came, His saucy respects to pay. “Good luck!” cried the maid, Not a bit afraid “I shall have good luck all the day!”

Then ere she had ceased to laugh, For she was a merry soul, She looked again, And saw very plain Two magpies perched on her bowl!

The maiden began to cry “Alas! and alack-a-day! ’Tis surely a sign Bad luck will be mine! Bad luck”!—and she ran away.

A VERY POLITE LITTLE BOY.

I knew a little boy So exceedingly polite; He wouldn’t leave the room, unless He asked you if he might; His hair was always smooth, And he looked so spick and span, You really might have thought He was a wooden little man!

One day as he began To remark, “Sir, if you please—” Intending to apologize If he should chance to sneeze; Quite suddenly he gave A funny little shriek, And everybody jumped into The middle of next week.

And the little boy himself, Very nearly died of fright: Because he’d been so very Very, very impolite!

THE FAN-TRIBE.

O far away by a tropic sea, And near to a jungle dell. Neath the scorching rays Of the sun’s bright blaze, The fan tribe Indians dwell.

No silken, satin or velvet gowns, No laces do they possess, But from year to year, They always appear In this fantastic dress.

The moon has a host of children That never are seen by day; But Oh! in the night ’Tis a pretty sight, To see them frolic and play.

They harness the stars together, And over their race-course ride; Or gather in crowds On the fleecy clouds, And down on the moonbeams slide.

A Lily-Race.

A swarthy son of a savage race, A brave young Indian lad, Set out from shore in a light canoe, His foot on a lily-pad.

His oar was only a slender rush, He managed with native grace, And he hurried along, for close behind Another had given chase.

Together they darted adown the stream, Each poised in his light canoe, ’Till in their strivings to keep ahead, Their oars were broken in two.

And that was the end of the lily-race; For soon with a savage roar, The Indian boys jumped into the stream, And both of them swam ashore.