HA, ha! little toddlekins--cash did you say?
You shall have it, my boys.
For racket and noise,
Crackers and powder,
Louder and louder,
Shall bang and resound on the glorious day!
Here's a dollar for Johnny, a dollar for Paul.
And you, little Dick,
Come to father my chick!
Now _that's_ for a pack,
And _that's_ for a pack,
And _that's_ for torpedoes and snappers and all!
Now Robbie and Willie,--you boys with "real" pockets;
Ha, ha! I declare.
Shall I put it in there?
Hear it dropping, co-chunk!
What! you want more for punk?
Here it is. And _I'll_ see to the pin-wheels and rockets.
Of course, you all know of the great Declaration
That made us as free
As a country could be.
On that glorious Fourth,
East, West, South, and North
Were proclaimed a United American Nation!
How our forefathers bled,--they, the mighty and wroth!
To make us all free,--
Yes, _you_, boys, and me.
Though you can't understand
How they wrestled and planned,
You can honor them, boys, and remember the Fourth.
Be off with your money! To-morrow's the word!
Hold, Johnny, here's more
To divide 'twixt you four.
And Dick, here's a dime,--
Hurrah! What a time!
We'll have such a racket as never was heard!
[Illustration]
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WHEN I am big, I mean to buy
A dozen platters of pumpkin-pie,
A barrel of nuts, to have 'em handy,
And fifty pounds of sugar-candy.
When I am big, I mean to wear
A long-tailed coat, and crop my hair;
I'll buy a paper, and read the news,
And sit up late whenever I choose.
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WIND for the tree-top, sun for the spear;
Johnny will be a big boy in a year.
When he is big he can battle the storm;
While he is little, we'll wrap him up warm.
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"HERE'S plenty of shells and clay and water,
Make me some nice mud-pies, my daughter."
"Oh! yes, mamma--and the sun is hot,
I can heat my oven as well as not.
If you will take, why, I will make--
Pit 'em and pat 'em and set 'em to bake."
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