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Bedtime

97

BEDTIME

'Tis bedtime; say your hymn, and bid "Good-night;
God bless Mamma, Papa, and dear ones all."
Your half-shut eyes beneath your eyelids fall,
Another minute, you will shut them quite.
Yes, I will carry you, put out the light,
And tuck you up, although you are so tall!
What will you give me, sleepy one, and call
My wages, if I settle you all right?

I laid her golden curls upon my arm,

I drew her little feet within my hand,
Her rosy palms were joined in trustful bliss,
Her heart next mine beat gently, soft and warm
She nestled to me, and, by Love's command,
Paid me my precious wages-"Baby's Kiss."

Francis Robert St. Clair Erskine [1833-1890]

THE DUTY OF CHILDREN

HAPPY THOUGHT

THE world is so full of a number of things,
I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.
Robert Louis Stevenson [1850-1894]

WHOLE DUTY OF CHILDREN

A CHILD should always say what's true
And speak when he is spoken to,
And behave mannerly at table;

At least as far as he is able.

Robert Louis Stevenson [1850-1894]

POLITENESS

GOOD little boys should never say

"I will," and "Give me these";

O, no! that never is the way,
But "Mother, if you please."

And "If you please," to Sister Ann
Good boys to say are ready;
And, "Yes, sir," to a Gentleman,
And, "Yes, ma'am," to a Lady.

Elizabeth Turner? -1846]

RULES OF BEHAVIOR

HEARTS, like doors, will ope with ease
To very, very little keys,

And don't forget that two of these

Are "I thank you" and "If you please."

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Happy as a robin,

Gentle as a dove

That's the kind of little girl
Everyone will love.

Fly away and seek her,

Little song of mine,

For I choose that very girl

As my Valentine.

Emilie Poulsson (1853

GOOD AND BAD CHILDREN

CHILDREN, you are very little,

And your bones are very brittle;
If you would grow great and stately,
You must try to walk sedately.

You must still be bright and quiet,
And content with simple diet;
And remain, through all bewild'ring,
Innocent and honest children.

Happy hearts and happy faces,
Happy play in grassy places-
That was how, in ancient ages,
Children grew to kings and sages.
But the unkind and the unruly,
And the sort who cat unduly,
They must never hope for glory—
Theirs is quite a different story!

Cruel children, crying babies,
All grow up as geese and gabies,
Hated, as their age increases,

By their nephews and their nieces.

Robert Louis Stevenson [1850-1894]

REBECCA'S AFTER-THOUGHT

YESTERDAY, Rebecca Mason,
In the parlor by herself,
Broke a handsome china basin,

Placed upon the mantel-shelf.

A Rule for Birds' Nesters

Quite alarmed, she thought of going
Very quietly away,

Not a single person knowing,

Of her being there that day.

But Rebecca recollected

She was taught deceit to shun; And the moment she reflected, Told her mother what was done;

Who commended her behavior,

Loved her better, and forgave her.

io!

Elizabeth Turner [ ?-1846]

KINDNESS TO ANIMALS

LITTLE children, never give

Pain to things that feel and live;

Let the gentle robin come

For the crumbs you save at home,-

As his meat you throw along
He'll repay you with a song;
Never hurt the timid hare
Peeping from her green grass lair,
Let her come and sport and play
On the lawn at close of day;
The little lark goes soaring high
To the bright windows of the sky,
Singing as if 'twere always spring,
And fluttering on an untired wing,—
Oh! let him sing his happy song,
Nor do these gentle creatures wrong.

A RULE FOR BIRDS' NESTERS

THE robin and the red-breast,

The sparrow and the wren;

If ye take out o' their nest,

Ye'll never thrive again!

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