 | Snow-berries. A book for young folks |  |
28
TO THE BOYS.
Don't you be afraid, boys,
To whistle loud and long,
Although your quiet sisters
Should call it rude or wrong.
To whistle loud and long,
Although your quiet sisters
Should call it rude or wrong.
Keep yourselves good-natured,
And if smiling fails,
Ask them if they ever saw
Muzzles on the quails!
And if smiling fails,
Ask them if they ever saw
Muzzles on the quails!
Or the lovely red-rose
Try to hide her flag,
Or the June to smother all
Her robins in a bag!
Try to hide her flag,
Or the June to smother all
Her robins in a bag!
If they say the teaching
Of nature is n't true,
Get astride the sence, boys,
And answer with a Whew!
Of nature is n't true,
Get astride the sence, boys,
And answer with a Whew!
I'll tell you what it is, boys,
No water-wheel will spin,
Unless you set a whistle
At the head of every pin.
No water-wheel will spin,
Unless you set a whistle
At the head of every pin.
29
And never kite flew skyward
In triumph like a wing
Without the glad vibration
Of a whistle in the string.
In triumph like a wing
Without the glad vibration
Of a whistle in the string.
And when the days are vanished
For idleness and play,
'T will make your labors lighter
To whistle care away.
For idleness and play,
'T will make your labors lighter
To whistle care away.
So don't you be afraid, boys,
In spite of bar and ban,
To whistle,—it will help you each
To make an honest man.
In spite of bar and ban,
To whistle,—it will help you each
To make an honest man.
| Snow-berries. A book for young folks | |