The Writings of Bret Harte standard library edition |
 | 12. |
| 1. |
|
| 1. |
| 3. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
|
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 6. |
| 20. |
|
|
|
MISS EDITH HELPS THINGS ALONG |
 | The Writings of Bret Harte |  |
MISS EDITH HELPS THINGS ALONG
“My sister'll be down in a minute, and says you're to wait, if you please,
And says I might stay till she came, if I 'd promise her never to tease.
Nor speak till you spoke to me first. But that 's nonsense, for how would you know
What she told me to say, if I did n't? Don't you really and truly think so?
And says I might stay till she came, if I 'd promise her never to tease.
Nor speak till you spoke to me first. But that 's nonsense, for how would you know
What she told me to say, if I did n't? Don't you really and truly think so?
400
“And then you 'd feel strange here alone! And you would n't know just where to sit;
For that chair is n't strong on its legs, and we never use it a bit.
We keep it to match with the sofa. But Jack says it would be like you
To flop yourself right down upon it and knock out the very last screw.
For that chair is n't strong on its legs, and we never use it a bit.
We keep it to match with the sofa. But Jack says it would be like you
To flop yourself right down upon it and knock out the very last screw.
“S'pose you try? I won't tell. You're afraid to! Oh! you 're afraid they would think it was mean!
Well, then, there 's the album—that 's pretty, if you 're sure that your fingers are clean.
For sister says sometimes I daub it; but she only says that when she 's cross.
There 's her picture. You know it? It 's like her; but she ain't as good-looking, of course!
Well, then, there 's the album—that 's pretty, if you 're sure that your fingers are clean.
For sister says sometimes I daub it; but she only says that when she 's cross.
There 's her picture. You know it? It 's like her; but she ain't as good-looking, of course!
“This is me. It 's the best of 'em all. Now, tell me, you'd never have thought
That once I was little as that? It 's the only one that could be bought—
For that was the message to Pa from the photograph man where I sat—
That he would n't print off any more till he first got his money for that.
That once I was little as that? It 's the only one that could be bought—
For that was the message to Pa from the photograph man where I sat—
That he would n't print off any more till he first got his money for that.
“What? Maybe you 're tired of waiting. Why, often she 's longer than this.
There 's all her back hair to do up and all of her front curls to friz.
But it 's nice to be sitting here talking like grown people, just you and me.
Do you think you'll be coming here often? Oh, do! But don't come like Tom Lee.
There 's all her back hair to do up and all of her front curls to friz.
But it 's nice to be sitting here talking like grown people, just you and me.
Do you think you'll be coming here often? Oh, do! But don't come like Tom Lee.
401
“Tom Lee. Her last beau. Why, my goodness! He used to be here day and night,
Till the folks thought that he 'd be her husband; and Jack says that gave him a fright.
You won't run away, then, as he did? for you 're not a rich man, they say.
Pa says you are as poor as a church mouse. Now, are you? And how poor are they?
Till the folks thought that he 'd be her husband; and Jack says that gave him a fright.
You won't run away, then, as he did? for you 're not a rich man, they say.
Pa says you are as poor as a church mouse. Now, are you? And how poor are they?
“Ain't you glad that you met me? Well, I am; for I know now your hair is n't red.
But what there is left of it 's mousy, and not what that naughty Jack said.
But there! I must go. Sister 's coming. But I wish I could wait, just to see
If she ran up to you and she kissed you in the way that she used to kiss Lee.”
But what there is left of it 's mousy, and not what that naughty Jack said.
But there! I must go. Sister 's coming. But I wish I could wait, just to see
If she ran up to you and she kissed you in the way that she used to kiss Lee.”
| The Writings of Bret Harte | |