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Part I.
49
THE NEW-YORK BOY'S SONG
TO CROTON WATER.
Oh, blessed be the Croton!
It floweth everywhere—
It sprinkles o'er the dusty ground,
It cooleth all the air.
It floweth everywhere—
It sprinkles o'er the dusty ground,
It cooleth all the air.
It poureth by the wayside,
A constant stream of joy,
To every little radish girl,
And chimney-sweeping boy.
A constant stream of joy,
To every little radish girl,
And chimney-sweeping boy.
Poor little ragged children,
Who sleep in wretched places,
Come out for Croton water,
To wash their dirty faces.
Who sleep in wretched places,
Come out for Croton water,
To wash their dirty faces.
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And if they find a big tub full,
They shout aloud with glee,
And all unite to freight a chip,
And send it out to sea.
They shout aloud with glee,
And all unite to freight a chip,
And send it out to sea.
To the ever-running hydrant
The dogs delight to go,
To bathe themselves, and wet their tongues,
In the silver water-flow.
The dogs delight to go,
To bathe themselves, and wet their tongues,
In the silver water-flow.
The thirsty horse, he knoweth well
Where the Croton poureth down,
And thinks his fare is much improved
In the hot and dusty town.
Where the Croton poureth down,
And thinks his fare is much improved
In the hot and dusty town.
And many a drunkard has forgot
To seek the fiery cup;
For everywhere, before his face,
Sweet water leapeth up.
To seek the fiery cup;
For everywhere, before his face,
Sweet water leapeth up.
Then blessings on the Croton!
It flows for man and beast,
And gives its wealth out freely,
To the greatest and the least.
It flows for man and beast,
And gives its wealth out freely,
To the greatest and the least.
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We city boys take great delight
To watch its bubbling play,
To make it rush up in the air,
Or whirl around in spray.
To watch its bubbling play,
To make it rush up in the air,
Or whirl around in spray.
It is good sport to guide a hose
Against the window-pane,
Or dash it through the dusty trees,
Like driving summer rain.
Against the window-pane,
Or dash it through the dusty trees,
Like driving summer rain.
Oh, blessed be the Croton!
It gives us endless fun,
To make it jump and splash about,
And sparkle in the sun.
It gives us endless fun,
To make it jump and splash about,
And sparkle in the sun.
And the Fountains in their beauty,
It glads our hearts to see—
Ever springing up to heaven,
So gracefully and free.
It glads our hearts to see—
Ever springing up to heaven,
So gracefully and free.
Fast fall their sparkling diamonds,
Beneath the sun's bright glance,
And like attendant fairies,
The shim'ring rainbows dance.
Beneath the sun's bright glance,
And like attendant fairies,
The shim'ring rainbows dance.
White and pure their feathery foam,
Under the moon's mild ray,
While twinkling stars look brightly down
Upon their ceaseless play.
Under the moon's mild ray,
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Upon their ceaseless play.
And all about the crowded town,
In garden, shop, or bower,
Neat little fountains scatter round
A small refreshing shower.
In garden, shop, or bower,
Neat little fountains scatter round
A small refreshing shower.
Perhaps some dolphin spouts it forth
To sprinkle flower or grass,
Or marble boy, with dripping urn,
Salutes you as you pass.
To sprinkle flower or grass,
Or marble boy, with dripping urn,
Salutes you as you pass.
Then blessings on the Croton!
May it diminish never—
For its glorious beauty
Is a joy forever.
May it diminish never—
For its glorious beauty
Is a joy forever.
[_]
Note.—In former years, water was very scarce and very bad, in some parts of the city of New-York. But now an abundance of delicious water is brought from the river Croton, forty miles off. It runs under-ground, in big iron pipes. In every street, are conductors, called hydrants, from which small streams slow continually.
70
GEORGE AND HIS DOG
George had a large and noble dog
With hair as soft as silk;
A few black spots upon his back,
The rest as white as milk.
With hair as soft as silk;
A few black spots upon his back,
The rest as white as milk.
And many a happy hour they had,
In dull or shining weather;
For, in the house, or in the fields,
They always were together.
In dull or shining weather;
For, in the house, or in the fields,
They always were together.
It was rare fun to see them race,
Through fields of bright red clover,
And jump across the running brooks,
George and his good dog Rover.
Through fields of bright red clover,
And jump across the running brooks,
George and his good dog Rover.
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The faithful creature knew full well
When master wished to ride;
And he would kneel down on the grass,
While Georgy climbed his side.
When master wished to ride;
And he would kneel down on the grass,
While Georgy climbed his side.
They both were playing in the field,
When all at once they saw
A little squirrel on a stump,
With an acorn in his paw.
When all at once they saw
A little squirrel on a stump,
With an acorn in his paw.
Rover sent forth a loud bow-wow,
And tried to start away;
He thought to scare the little beast
Would be a noble play.
And tried to start away;
He thought to scare the little beast
Would be a noble play.
But George cried out, “For shame! for shame!
You are so big and strong,
To worry that poor little thing
Would be both mean and wrong.”
You are so big and strong,
To worry that poor little thing
Would be both mean and wrong.”
The dog still looked with eager eye,
And George could plainly see,
It was as much as he could do,
To let the squirrel be.
And George could plainly see,
It was as much as he could do,
To let the squirrel be.
The timid creature would have feared
The dog so bold and strong,
But he seemed to know the little boy
Would let him do no wrong.
The dog so bold and strong,
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Would let him do no wrong.
He peeped in George's smiling face,
And trusting to his care,
He kept his seat upon the stump,
And ate his acorn there.
And trusting to his care,
He kept his seat upon the stump,
And ate his acorn there.
He felt a spirit of pure love
Around the gentle boy,
As if good angels, hovering there,
Watched over him in joy.
Around the gentle boy,
As if good angels, hovering there,
Watched over him in joy.
And true it is, the angels oft
Good little George have led;
They're with him in his happy play,
They guard his little bed.
Good little George have led;
They're with him in his happy play,
They guard his little bed.
They keep his heart so kind and true,
They make his eye so mild;
For dearly do the angels love
A gentle little child.
They make his eye so mild;
For dearly do the angels love
A gentle little child.
139
LITTLE BIRD! LITTLE BIRD!
Little bird! little bird! come to me!
Here is a green cage hung on the tree.
Beauty-bright flowers I'll bring to you,
And fresh ripe cherries, all wet with dew.
Here is a green cage hung on the tree.
Beauty-bright flowers I'll bring to you,
And fresh ripe cherries, all wet with dew.
Thanks, little maiden, for all thy care;
But I dearly love the free broad air;
And my snug little nest in the old oak tree
Is better than golden cage for me.
But I dearly love the free broad air;
And my snug little nest in the old oak tree
Is better than golden cage for me.
Little bird! little bird! where wilt thou go,
When the fields are all buried in snow?
The ice will cover your old oak tree;
You had better come and stay with me.
When the fields are all buried in snow?
The ice will cover your old oak tree;
You had better come and stay with me.
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Nay, little maiden, away I'll fly
To greener fields and a warmer sky.
When Spring returns with pattering rain,
You will hear my merry song again.
To greener fields and a warmer sky.
When Spring returns with pattering rain,
You will hear my merry song again.
Little bird! little bird! who'll guide thee
Over the hills and over the sea?
Foolish one, come in the house to stay,
For I'm very sure you'll lose your way
Over the hills and over the sea?
Foolish one, come in the house to stay,
For I'm very sure you'll lose your way
Ah no, little maiden! God guides me
Over the hills and over the sea.
I will be free as the rushing air,
Chasing the sunlight everywhere.
Over the hills and over the sea.
I will be free as the rushing air,
Chasing the sunlight everywhere.
188
THE SISTER'S HYMN.
ABOUT A VERY LITTLE BROTHER, WHO WENT AWAY FROM THIS WORLD TO LIVE WITH THE ANGELS.
“They laid him in a chamber, whose windows opened toward the sun-rising; the name of the chamber was Peace; where he slept till break of day, and then he awoke and sang.”
Pilgrim's Progress.
Brother James was a charming boy,
Loving and full of glee—
It always filled our hearts with joy
His happy face to see.
Loving and full of glee—
It always filled our hearts with joy
His happy face to see.
He was so funny, yet so mild,
In all his infant plays—
I never saw a little child
That had such winning ways.
In all his infant plays—
I never saw a little child
That had such winning ways.
189
I used to say, “The little birds
Do in their nests agree;”
And that he understood the words
Was plain as it could be.
Do in their nests agree;”
And that he understood the words
Was plain as it could be.
For sometimes, if he chanced to fret,
He 'd nestle close to me,
And sorry for his little pet,
Would kiss, and lisp “gee, gee.”
He 'd nestle close to me,
And sorry for his little pet,
Would kiss, and lisp “gee, gee.”
Oh, how he loved to run about,
And gather the spring posies!
He would have raised a merry shout,
To see the great red roses!
And gather the spring posies!
He would have raised a merry shout,
To see the great red roses!
But his dear little soul was gone,
Ere the buds began to blow:
I wish he could have seen just one—
It would have pleased him so.
Ere the buds began to blow:
I wish he could have seen just one—
It would have pleased him so.
But father says he's gone away
To a world of brighter flowers,
Where little angels with him play
Through all the pleasant hours.
To a world of brighter flowers,
Where little angels with him play
Through all the pleasant hours.
Sweetly his little laughing voice
Floats on the balmy air,
And many heavenly babes rejoice
To see my brother there.
Floats on the balmy air,
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To see my brother there.
They bring him little lambs and doves,
And joy shines in his face;
For all the things our darling loves
Are in that blessed place.
And joy shines in his face;
For all the things our darling loves
Are in that blessed place.
And when he falls asleep at even,
His dreams are bright and fair;
His spirit feels at home in Heaven,
And thinks we're with him there.
His dreams are bright and fair;
His spirit feels at home in Heaven,
And thinks we're with him there.
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