 | The white dove, and Other Poems for Children |  |
89
The Punishment.
I heard you, little Lucy,
I was passing by the door;
How could you speak in such a tone,
And stamp upon the floor.
I was passing by the door;
How could you speak in such a tone,
And stamp upon the floor.
Why did you say you did not touch
That cup of china fine;
Surely I saw it in your hand,
When I went down to dine!
That cup of china fine;
Surely I saw it in your hand,
When I went down to dine!
When Hetty said “Where is the cup?”
You said, “I do not know;”
Do you not feel how wrong it was
For you to answer so?
You said, “I do not know;”
Do you not feel how wrong it was
For you to answer so?
90
Stay, it will do no good to cry
With such an ugly whine;
Come here my darling child, and lay
Your little hand in mine.
With such an ugly whine;
Come here my darling child, and lay
Your little hand in mine.
And tell me, would you like to hear
A story which is true;
About a gentle, truthful child,
Who once did wrong like you?
A story which is true;
About a gentle, truthful child,
Who once did wrong like you?
First, let me dry those tearful eyes,
And cool that burning cheek;
Now lean your head against my arm,
And listen, while I speak.
And cool that burning cheek;
Now lean your head against my arm,
And listen, while I speak.
For, darling, I would have you feel,
Now, in your early youth,
How mean a thing a falsehood is,
How beautiful is truth.
Now, in your early youth,
How mean a thing a falsehood is,
How beautiful is truth.
You know I spoke to you last week
Of little Mary Brae;
Well, I should like to tell you all
Her history to-day.
Of little Mary Brae;
Well, I should like to tell you all
Her history to-day.
91
Mary was gentle, mild, and good;
But older, dear, than you;
With honest eyes that met one's gaze,
With frankness firm and true.
But older, dear, than you;
With honest eyes that met one's gaze,
With frankness firm and true.
But Lucy, when I looked at you,
Awhile ago—you sought
To turn your little eyes from me,
To hide your inmost thought.
Awhile ago—you sought
To turn your little eyes from me,
To hide your inmost thought.
My darling! never turn away
That little face from me,
However sad, however glad,
Your inner life may be!
That little face from me,
However sad, however glad,
Your inner life may be!
No mother's love, or watchful care
Was round sweet Mary Brae;
No father's voice directed her,
Or warned her not to stray.
Was round sweet Mary Brae;
No father's voice directed her,
Or warned her not to stray.
She bloomed beside life's rugged road,
A sweet uncultured flower;
But nature's hand supplied the dew,
The sunshine and the shower.
A sweet uncultured flower;
But nature's hand supplied the dew,
The sunshine and the shower.
92
She grew in gentle loveliness,
And goodness day by day;
For He who feeds the ravens watched
O'er little Mary Brae.
And goodness day by day;
For He who feeds the ravens watched
O'er little Mary Brae.
Do you remember, Lucy dear,
The little sparkling stream,
Thro' whose clear waters you have seen
The silver fishes gleam!
The little sparkling stream,
Thro' whose clear waters you have seen
The silver fishes gleam!
And on whose banks the moss is green,
So early in the spring;
And where, before the snow is gone,
The bright-winged blue-birds sing?
So early in the spring;
And where, before the snow is gone,
The bright-winged blue-birds sing?
I do not mean the river, dear,
Which flows beneath the bridge;
But the clear, merry little brook,
Below the upland ridge,
Which flows beneath the bridge;
But the clear, merry little brook,
Below the upland ridge,
Which lingers in the alder's shade
And shimmers in the sun;
Where birds find lonely spots to build
And frisking squirrels run.
And shimmers in the sun;
Where birds find lonely spots to build
And frisking squirrels run.
93
Well, Lucy, by that little stream
A moss-grown cottage stood;
Beneath the shadow of the oak.
Ten paces from the wood.
A moss-grown cottage stood;
Beneath the shadow of the oak.
Ten paces from the wood.
And in that cottage, Mary Brae,
A little orphan child,
Had lived and bloomed for seven years,
A blossom in the wild.
A little orphan child,
Had lived and bloomed for seven years,
A blossom in the wild.
Her grandmother was very deaf,
And old and somewhat stern,
Requiring of her many things
She seemed too young to learn.
And old and somewhat stern,
Requiring of her many things
She seemed too young to learn.
But Mary tried to do her part,
To keep things neat and trim;
Her busy hands were never still
From morn till evening dim.
To keep things neat and trim;
Her busy hands were never still
From morn till evening dim.
And at her work, with cheerful voice,
She sang throughout the day;
And with the twilight always came
Her time for rest and play.
She sang throughout the day;
And with the twilight always came
Her time for rest and play.
94
Two pets, had Mary, in her home;
A large sleek tabby cat,
Who looked too gentle to molest
The smallest mouse or rat.
A large sleek tabby cat,
Who looked too gentle to molest
The smallest mouse or rat.
And in a cage of willow bars,
A little linnet bird;
Playful and tame, whose simple song
From morn till night was heard.
A little linnet bird;
Playful and tame, whose simple song
From morn till night was heard.
Mary had tried to make them friends—
But Linnet was afraid;
And Puss thought birds too good to eat,
To be for playmates made.
But Linnet was afraid;
And Puss thought birds too good to eat,
To be for playmates made.
One evening, when the sunset clouds,
Were lingering in the west;
She asked if she might go to see
A little sparrow's nest.
Were lingering in the west;
She asked if she might go to see
A little sparrow's nest.
The alder hedge was by the brook,
And there the nest was made,
On the low branches near the place
Where Mary always played.
And there the nest was made,
On the low branches near the place
Where Mary always played.
95
And grandma told her she might go,
If she would give her word,
Neither to touch the little nest,
Nor drive away the bird.
If she would give her word,
Neither to touch the little nest,
Nor drive away the bird.
She promised—and with dancing feet
Down towards the alders went;
And thro' the branches and the leaves
Enquiring looks she sent.
Down towards the alders went;
And thro' the branches and the leaves
Enquiring looks she sent.
And by her side with step demure,
And cunning watchful look;
Silent and wary, tabby cat
His pathway also took.
And cunning watchful look;
Silent and wary, tabby cat
His pathway also took.
When they had reached the water side,
Low crouching in the grass,
He hid his sleek and brindled back,
Waiting for her to pass.
Low crouching in the grass,
He hid his sleek and brindled back,
Waiting for her to pass.
He watched her onward, step by step;
And though he was so near,
He laid unseen by Mary's eyes,
Unheard by Mary's ear.
And though he was so near,
He laid unseen by Mary's eyes,
Unheard by Mary's ear.
96
Her busy thoughts were all so full
Of looking for the nest;
And fast she knew the setting sun,
Was sinking in the west.
Of looking for the nest;
And fast she knew the setting sun,
Was sinking in the west.
At last she found the sheltered spot
Among the branches, where
The parent birds had made their home,
With wondrous toil and care.
Among the branches, where
The parent birds had made their home,
With wondrous toil and care.
And Mary saw the half-fledged birds,
Roused from their quiet sleep;
To take the food the old ones brought,
With many a chirp and cheep.
Roused from their quiet sleep;
To take the food the old ones brought,
With many a chirp and cheep.
Oh how she wished to have the nest—
To hold it in her hand!
To touch the little downy birds,
And see if they could stand.
To hold it in her hand!
To touch the little downy birds,
And see if they could stand.
If she should lift it gently up,
And hold it softly so,
It seemed to her the little birds
Themselves would scarcely know.
And hold it softly so,
It seemed to her the little birds
Themselves would scarcely know.
97
So, lightly stepping on one branch,
The rest she held aside,
And reached the nest the parent birds
Had vainly sought to hide.
The rest she held aside,
And reached the nest the parent birds
Had vainly sought to hide.
And holding it with careful grasp,
She leaped down on the ground;
And four young sparrows, nearly fledged
And almost grown, she found.
She leaped down on the ground;
And four young sparrows, nearly fledged
And almost grown, she found.
Oh what a treasure! four young birds!
Mary with joy was wild:
Four little birds! and such a nest!
Alas! poor little child.
Mary with joy was wild:
Four little birds! and such a nest!
Alas! poor little child.
Forgotten were her promises!
And close beside her sat
Watching the birds, with hungry eyes,
The unseen tabby cat.
And close beside her sat
Watching the birds, with hungry eyes,
The unseen tabby cat.
Then came the old birds, darting round
Their young, with scream and call;
And Mary, frightened, from her hands
Let nest and sparrows fall!
Their young, with scream and call;
And Mary, frightened, from her hands
Let nest and sparrows fall!
98
The little, tender, half-fledged things,
Went hopping through the grass,
With chirps, and cries, and flutterings;
They could not fly, alas!
Went hopping through the grass,
With chirps, and cries, and flutterings;
They could not fly, alas!
An instant—and the watchful cat
Had sprung to Mary's side—
An instant—and with pain and fright
One little sparrow died!
Had sprung to Mary's side—
An instant—and with pain and fright
One little sparrow died!
Thus Mary's punishment began!
But with a tender hand,
She took the little sparrow up,
And tried to make it stand.
But with a tender hand,
She took the little sparrow up,
And tried to make it stand.
In vain—its little heart was still—
It neither breathed nor stirred;
And fast and warm poor Mary's tears
Fell on the lifeless bird.
It neither breathed nor stirred;
And fast and warm poor Mary's tears
Fell on the lifeless bird.
And then, with soft and careful touch
She gathered up the rest;
And once more in the alder tree
Replaced the precious nest.
She gathered up the rest;
And once more in the alder tree
Replaced the precious nest.
99
The mother bird, with piteous cries,
Fluttered from spray to spray;
And Mary dried her tearful eyes
And took her homeward way.
Fluttered from spray to spray;
And Mary dried her tearful eyes
And took her homeward way.
But long before she reached the cot,
The active cat was there;
And grandma, having stopped her wheel,
Slept in her old arm chair.
The active cat was there;
And grandma, having stopped her wheel,
Slept in her old arm chair.
The first thing little Mary saw,
Was feathers on the floor!
The next thing little Mary saw,
Was Linnet's open door!
Was feathers on the floor!
The next thing little Mary saw,
Was Linnet's open door!
She stood there, conscience-stricken, dumb,
With shame her head she bent;
Poor child, if great her fault had been,
Great was the punishment!
With shame her head she bent;
Poor child, if great her fault had been,
Great was the punishment!
Long—long—she stood in silent grief,
As if her heart would break;
And something more was yet to come,
When grandmamma should wake.
As if her heart would break;
And something more was yet to come,
When grandmamma should wake.
100
A falsehood yet might hide her fault,
Conceal her broken word—
Who saw her take the sparrow's nest?
Or knew she touched the bird?
Conceal her broken word—
Who saw her take the sparrow's nest?
Or knew she touched the bird?
What should she say—what should she do!
'Tis easy to do wrong,
But then, to turn the wrong to right
Needs effort great and strong.
'Tis easy to do wrong,
But then, to turn the wrong to right
Needs effort great and strong.
Hard was the struggle—sharp the pain—
Her heart was beating fast!
Poor little child, she never knew
If hours or minutes pass'd.
Her heart was beating fast!
Poor little child, she never knew
If hours or minutes pass'd.
But, when her grandmamma awoke,
Before a word was spoken,
Mary confessed with many a tear,
Her promises were broken.
Before a word was spoken,
Mary confessed with many a tear,
Her promises were broken.
She breathed a prayer, that God would keep
Her heart and conscience clean!
My little Lucy, do you know
Exactly what I mean?
Her heart and conscience clean!
My little Lucy, do you know
Exactly what I mean?
101
No sound came from her trembling lips,
She uttered not a word:
The prayer was in her inmost heart,
And God, her father, heard!
She uttered not a word:
The prayer was in her inmost heart,
And God, her father, heard!
If, when you search your little heart,
You find a good thought there,
A strong desire to do what's right,
My darling, that is prayer.
You find a good thought there,
A strong desire to do what's right,
My darling, that is prayer.
If danger ever comes to you,
And in your sore dismay
You trust his gracious power and love,
Then too, my child, you pray.
And in your sore dismay
You trust his gracious power and love,
Then too, my child, you pray.
Now kiss me, darling, get your doll,
And have some quiet play;
I think you will not soon forget
This tale of Mary Brae.
And have some quiet play;
I think you will not soon forget
This tale of Mary Brae.
| The white dove, and Other Poems for Children | |