 | A Wreath of Wild Flowers From New England |  |
346
LITTLE MARY'S “RUSE DE GUERRE.”
“Oh! give it, give it to me, Jane!
It was a gift from mother!
I would not change my darling chain,
Oh! no—for any other!”
It was a gift from mother!
I would not change my darling chain,
Oh! no—for any other!”
347
'Twas thus I heard our Mary say,—
A little, timid girl,—
When naughty Jane had snatched away
Her precious string of pearl.
A little, timid girl,—
When naughty Jane had snatched away
Her precious string of pearl.
The tyrant lifted high the chain,
Which Mary tiptoe tried,
And tired her tiny arm, in vain,
To reach, and Jane replied,—
“There, you shall have it, child, if you
Will say just what I tell you to.”
Which Mary tiptoe tried,
And tired her tiny arm, in vain,
To reach, and Jane replied,—
“There, you shall have it, child, if you
Will say just what I tell you to.”
And thoughtless Mary said, “I will!”
Too good herself to dream of ill;
“Will you?” cried Jane, exultingly,—
“Then say—you'll give the pearls to me!”
Too good herself to dream of ill;
“Will you?” cried Jane, exultingly,—
“Then say—you'll give the pearls to me!”
A moment, frightened and subdued,
The artless child in silence stood;
A shadow filled her guileless eyes,
And low her faltering voice replies,—
“I must not break my word, and yet—
I cannot—cannot part with it!”—
The artless child in silence stood;
A shadow filled her guileless eyes,
And low her faltering voice replies,—
“I must not break my word, and yet—
I cannot—cannot part with it!”—
348
“Oh stop! I know!”—the shadow fled,
Our darling raised her pretty head,—
Shook from her temples, white and fair,
The careless curls that clustered there,—
Held out her dimpled hand, and said,
With smile and tone of roguish glee,
“Yes, Jane,—‘You'll give the pearls to me.’
Now let me have my necklace—do!—
I said just what you told me to!”
Our darling raised her pretty head,—
Shook from her temples, white and fair,
The careless curls that clustered there,—
Held out her dimpled hand, and said,
With smile and tone of roguish glee,
“Yes, Jane,—‘You'll give the pearls to me.’
Now let me have my necklace—do!—
I said just what you told me to!”
| A Wreath of Wild Flowers From New England | |