 | The white dove, and Other Poems for Children |  |
41
The Promise.
Good evening, little Lizzie,
You see me safe at last;
Have you been counting every hour,
And moment as it pass'd?
You see me safe at last;
Have you been counting every hour,
And moment as it pass'd?
Right glad am I to see you, dear,
How often through the day,
I thought about my little girl,
At study, work, or play.
How often through the day,
I thought about my little girl,
At study, work, or play.
Come, tell me all that you have done,
How pass'd the time with you?
Did you contrive to finish, all
The work you had to do?
How pass'd the time with you?
Did you contrive to finish, all
The work you had to do?
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The sum begun upon your slate,
The page you had to spell,
The copy in your writing-book,
I hope is written well.
The page you had to spell,
The copy in your writing-book,
I hope is written well.
And then for dolly's dress, you know,
You had the skirt to hem,
And the new shoe-strings in your shoes,
Have you remembered them?
You had the skirt to hem,
And the new shoe-strings in your shoes,
Have you remembered them?
Come, tell me, when your play-time came,
What merry games you played?
And where you walked this afternoon,
When all your tasks were said.
What merry games you played?
And where you walked this afternoon,
When all your tasks were said.
And then your promise, Lizzie, dear,
About the little bird—
I hope you have remembered that,
And kept it to the word?
About the little bird—
I hope you have remembered that,
And kept it to the word?
Come close to me, my darling child—
Now look into my face;
Oh, Lizzie, Lizzie! what is wrong?
Here is some sad disgrace!
Now look into my face;
Oh, Lizzie, Lizzie! what is wrong?
Here is some sad disgrace!
43
You do not wish to tell me so,
But why are you afraid,
If you have kept right honestly
The promises you made?
But why are you afraid,
If you have kept right honestly
The promises you made?
Do you remember, Lizzie, dear,
In talking yesterday,
I told you of a little child
Whose name was Minnie Gray?
In talking yesterday,
I told you of a little child
Whose name was Minnie Gray?
One day, quite early in the spring,
Her grandmamma thought fit,
To carry to the nearest town,
The stockings she had knit.
Her grandmamma thought fit,
To carry to the nearest town,
The stockings she had knit.
In summer time she spun the yarn,
In winter dark and cold,
She made it into socks and mits,
Which every spring she sold.
In winter dark and cold,
She made it into socks and mits,
Which every spring she sold.
So, as I said, one morning fine,
Quite early in the spring;
When sunshine lay upon the grass,
And birds were on the wing.
Quite early in the spring;
When sunshine lay upon the grass,
And birds were on the wing.
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She hung her basket on her arm,
Took up her stout old cane;
Looked upwards at the sunny sky,
And down the shady lane.
Took up her stout old cane;
Looked upwards at the sunny sky,
And down the shady lane.
But e'er she left the cottage door,
She called to Minnie Gray,
And bade her listen carefully,
To all she had to say.
She called to Minnie Gray,
And bade her listen carefully,
To all she had to say.
And though her voice was sometimes stern,
Her heart was warm and kind;
For well she loved the little girl,
Whom she must leave behind.
Her heart was warm and kind;
For well she loved the little girl,
Whom she must leave behind.
“Now, Minnie, sweep the kitchen floor,
And dust the table well;
While I am gone to Dreamingdale,
These socks and mits to sell.
And dust the table well;
While I am gone to Dreamingdale,
These socks and mits to sell.
“Clear up the litter in the yard,
Scrub the old door-step clean;
Nor stop till not a speck of dust
Can anywhere be seen.
Scrub the old door-step clean;
Nor stop till not a speck of dust
Can anywhere be seen.
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“Remember, too, the old brown hen,
At noon she must be fed;
Give her a dozen grains of corn,
Besides the crumbs of bread.
At noon she must be fed;
Give her a dozen grains of corn,
Besides the crumbs of bread.
“Then there is bread and milk for you,
After your work is done;
And—water the geranium,
And set it in the sun.
After your work is done;
And—water the geranium,
And set it in the sun.
“And one thing, Minnie, keep in mind,
Watch over pussy, too;
No knowing when my back is turned,
What mischief it may do.
Watch over pussy, too;
No knowing when my back is turned,
What mischief it may do.
“But child, before I go to town
One promise you must make;
For well I know my little girl,
A promise will not break.
One promise you must make;
For well I know my little girl,
A promise will not break.
“Promise you will not leave the house,
However long I stay;
For Dreamingdale is three miles off,
I may be gone all day:
However long I stay;
For Dreamingdale is three miles off,
I may be gone all day:
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“But if you say you will not go,
A step beyond the gate,
I shall not feel concerned for you,
However long you wait.”
A step beyond the gate,
I shall not feel concerned for you,
However long you wait.”
So Minnie promised she would do,
The work as she was bid;
And keep within the garden gate—
For so she always did.
The work as she was bid;
And keep within the garden gate—
For so she always did.
Then slowly the old woman took
Her way along the lane,
Beneath the over-arching trees,
Nor once looked back again.
Her way along the lane,
Beneath the over-arching trees,
Nor once looked back again.
And Minnie, standing at the door,
A happy child was she!
Watched the old woman on her road,
As far as she could see.
A happy child was she!
Watched the old woman on her road,
As far as she could see.
And then she turned to do her work,
And hunted up the broom,
To brush the litter from the path,
And sweep and dust the room.
And hunted up the broom,
To brush the litter from the path,
And sweep and dust the room.
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A merry song she sung the while,
Glad as a bird; and then
She watered the geranium,
And fed the old brown hen.
Glad as a bird; and then
She watered the geranium,
And fed the old brown hen.
She talked at times to pussy, who
Laid sleeping on a mat,
Dreaming of mice, and things that please
The fancies of a cat.
Laid sleeping on a mat,
Dreaming of mice, and things that please
The fancies of a cat.
Puss answered not a word she said,
Not even by a mew,
Though there is not a doubt she had
Her own opinions too.
Not even by a mew,
Though there is not a doubt she had
Her own opinions too.
But Minnie wished her young again,
A kitten, full of play;
She looked so stupid, dozing there,
On such a sunny day.
A kitten, full of play;
She looked so stupid, dozing there,
On such a sunny day.
And Minnie thought if she could go,
Like puss, where she might please,
How she would skip along the lane,
Beneath the shady trees!
Like puss, where she might please,
How she would skip along the lane,
Beneath the shady trees!
48
And as she thought so, in her heart
She heard the waters run
In tuneful song—she saw the waves
Go dancing in the sun.
She heard the waters run
In tuneful song—she saw the waves
Go dancing in the sun.
She thought the violets must be blown,
Blue violets fresh and sweet;
She seemed to feel the soft green moss
Yield gently to her feet.
Blue violets fresh and sweet;
She seemed to feel the soft green moss
Yield gently to her feet.
She knew a water-lily, too,
Had lifted up its head;
Just where the waters of the brook,
Into a pool had spread.
Had lifted up its head;
Just where the waters of the brook,
Into a pool had spread.
And in the meadow, just beyond,
Stood blooming cherry trees;
With fragrant blossoms, all alive
With merry humming bees.
Stood blooming cherry trees;
With fragrant blossoms, all alive
With merry humming bees.
Just then a splendid butterfly,
With wings of gold and green,
Went sailing by the open door,
The sky and her between.
With wings of gold and green,
Went sailing by the open door,
The sky and her between.
49
And darker grew the little room,
And closer seemed the air;
And every moment more she felt,
Herself a prisoner there.
And closer seemed the air;
And every moment more she felt,
Herself a prisoner there.
And out-doors brighter grew the sky,
More deep the shadow lay;
And ever chiming in her ear,
She heard the waters play.
More deep the shadow lay;
And ever chiming in her ear,
She heard the waters play.
Oh! what should keep her, what detain
Those little active feet,
When bird and bee seemed calling her
With voices kind and sweet?
Those little active feet,
When bird and bee seemed calling her
With voices kind and sweet?
Oh! what should keep her longer there?
Her work, it all was done
And grandmamma would not return
Before the setting sun.
Her work, it all was done
And grandmamma would not return
Before the setting sun.
She sprang up from her little chair,
Took down her old straw hat,
And bounding to the open door,
Leaped o'er the sleeping cat.
Took down her old straw hat,
And bounding to the open door,
Leaped o'er the sleeping cat.
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She darted down the garden path,
She reached the outer gate,
But something whispered in her heart,
Stop, Minnie! stop, and wait.
She reached the outer gate,
But something whispered in her heart,
Stop, Minnie! stop, and wait.
A robin caroled in the tree,
He seemed to bid her go;
But something speaking in her heart
Said still more clearly, no!
He seemed to bid her go;
But something speaking in her heart
Said still more clearly, no!
Again the butterfly sailed past,
Almost within her grasp;
But, though her hand was on the gate,
She did not loose the hasp.
Almost within her grasp;
But, though her hand was on the gate,
She did not loose the hasp.
With firm resolve she put aside
The restless wish to roam,
And turning from the shady lane,
Walked slowly to her home.
The restless wish to roam,
And turning from the shady lane,
Walked slowly to her home.
Hung up again her old straw hat,
Roused pussy with a start;
And perfect was the peace that filled,
Her faithful little heart.
Roused pussy with a start;
And perfect was the peace that filled,
Her faithful little heart.
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Long hours must slowly pass along,
Before the day was done;
For now, the distant old church clock,
Was only chiming one.
Before the day was done;
For now, the distant old church clock,
Was only chiming one.
Yet fearless, happy in herself,
The patient, truthful child,
With all around, within, without,
The long bright hours beguiled.
The patient, truthful child,
With all around, within, without,
The long bright hours beguiled.
A sparrow hopped across the path;
And Minnie thought it clear,
Because some hay was in its bill,
Its nest was very near.
And Minnie thought it clear,
Because some hay was in its bill,
Its nest was very near.
A spider wove his net-like web,
With wondrous art and skill;
She watched him spin out thread by thread,
And fasten it at will.
With wondrous art and skill;
She watched him spin out thread by thread,
And fasten it at will.
There came a glittering dragon fly,
Unconscious of the snare;
And quickly all his gauzy wings,
Were closely fettered there.
Unconscious of the snare;
And quickly all his gauzy wings,
Were closely fettered there.
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But Minnie gently broke his chains,
And set the prisoner free;
Then watched him as he darted off
Beyond the apple-tree.
And set the prisoner free;
Then watched him as he darted off
Beyond the apple-tree.
Then, on the fence, a busy wren,
With restless eye she saw,
Looking about until he found
A slender piece of straw.
With restless eye she saw,
Looking about until he found
A slender piece of straw.
And having poised it in his bill,
With balance nice and true,
He spread his sober-colored wings,
And darted from her view.
With balance nice and true,
He spread his sober-colored wings,
And darted from her view.
She watched the dappling shadows move,
Across the cottage floor;
As the wind waved the great oak tree,
Before the open door.
Across the cottage floor;
As the wind waved the great oak tree,
Before the open door.
Saw the swift swallows dart between
The green wind-parted leaves;
And thought she heard their little ones,
Chirp, chirping in the eaves.
The green wind-parted leaves;
And thought she heard their little ones,
Chirp, chirping in the eaves.
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Till she forgot the rippling brook,
The merry humming bees;
And thought no longer of the lane,
And over-arching trees.
The merry humming bees;
And thought no longer of the lane,
And over-arching trees.
So wore the afternoon away—
To Minnie's happy thought,
Each moment of the passing time,
Some new, fresh interest brought.
To Minnie's happy thought,
Each moment of the passing time,
Some new, fresh interest brought.
And sooner far than she had hoped,
Long e'er the twilight came,
Slow creeping up the garden path,
She saw the weary dame.
Long e'er the twilight came,
Slow creeping up the garden path,
She saw the weary dame.
Who said, the folks in Dreamingdale,
Had all her stockings bought;
And so she had reached home again,
Much sooner than she thought.
Had all her stockings bought;
And so she had reached home again,
Much sooner than she thought.
“Now, Minnie, you may go,” said she,
“An hour or two and play;
And you may stay till supper-time
With little Susan May.”
“An hour or two and play;
And you may stay till supper-time
With little Susan May.”
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And there was Susan, on her way,
Just going home from school;
And so they went to see the fair
White lily in the pool.
Just going home from school;
And so they went to see the fair
White lily in the pool.
And then they crossed the mossy bank,
Where violets white and blue,
Bloom always earliest in the spring,
As little Minnie knew.
Where violets white and blue,
Bloom always earliest in the spring,
As little Minnie knew.
Joyous they climbed the meadow stile,
To see the cherry trees;
And hear the pleasant murmuring sounds,
Made by the golden bees.
To see the cherry trees;
And hear the pleasant murmuring sounds,
Made by the golden bees.
And long they lingered on the plank,
Across the rippling brook;
And crimson sunshine slanted low,
Athwart the path they took.
Across the rippling brook;
And crimson sunshine slanted low,
Athwart the path they took.
And glorious shone the setting sun,
And golden seemed the air;
Nature to Minnie's happy heart
Seemed smiling everywhere.
And golden seemed the air;
Nature to Minnie's happy heart
Seemed smiling everywhere.
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And thankfully her evening prayer,
She said before she slept,
Because, that day right faithfully,
Her promise had been kept.
She said before she slept,
Because, that day right faithfully,
Her promise had been kept.
| The white dove, and Other Poems for Children | |