In many a lowly cottage in France
The bobbins keep threading a mazy dance
The whole day long, from morning to night,
Weaving the lace so pretty and light.
How swiftly the nimble fingers twist
The threads on the pillow--not one is missed:
Each bobbin would seem to rise from its place
To meet the fingers that form the lace.
How wondrously quick the pattern shows
From the threads, as under our eyes it grows:--
How quickly follow stem, leaves, and flower,
As if under the spell of enchanter's power.
Look at old Nannette--she can scarcely see,
Yet none can make lovelier lace than she;
And her grand-daughter Julie--just seven years old,
Is learning already the bobbins to hold.
Without drawings to follow, or patterns to trace,
How can these poor cottagers fashion their lace?
From the plant and the flower and unfolding fern
And the frost on the pane their patterns they learn,--
From gossamer web by the spider wove,--
From natural taste and natural love
For every form of beauty and grace,
They've learned to fashion their wonderful lace.
[Illustration]
For Paris quite an early start
They made the following day,
And out of windows every one
Kept looking, all the way.
And many a pretty road like this
The train went whizzing past,
Where gatekeeper, with flag and horn,
Stood by the gates shut fast.
That's Marie you see standing there:
Now, do you wonder why
A _woman_ has to blow the horn
Before the train goes by?--
Her husband is a lazy man,
He's in his cottage near,
He would not stir a step, although
The train will soon be here.
And Marie called him, "Paul, be quick--
Go shut the gate," she cried--
"Don't hurry me, there's time enough,"
The lazy man replied.
So Marie had to go, you see,
And take the horn, and blow.--
And every day it's just the same,
She always has to go.
[Illustration]