(_A Rhyming Story for Little Folk_)
One beautiful day in the month of May,
A little girl whose name was Gay
(They called her that, because, you see,
She was always cheerful as she could be)
Went for a walk in the woods near by,
And her dog went with her (his name was Spy).
As they strolled along a fine woodland path
She saw a little bird taking a bath.
She kept very still and watched him splash,
When all at once, with a sudden dash,
Into the brook jumped little dog Spy.
My, how he made the water fly!
"What a bad, bad dog you are!" said Gay.
"Birdie won't bathe any more to-day.
You frightened him so, but, never mind,
He's only frightened, not hurt, he'll find.
We'll walk on further and you must try
To be good and quiet."
"_Bow-wow!_" said Spy.
[Illustration: "INTO THE BROOK JUMPED LITTLE DOG SPY."]
They had only walked on a little way,
When something rustled: "What's that?" said Gay.
Out from the leaves sprang a squirrel red
And sped like a flash down the path ahead.
Close behind him was little dog Spy.
He paid no heed to the little girl's cry.
[Illustration: "'YOU'RE YOUNG,' SAID GAY, 'AND IS THAT WHY YOU
ACT SO SILLY?'"]
She whistled and called; they were out of sight.
She waited a moment, then laughed outright.
For who was this coming? Why, little dog Spy!
But he didn't look happy--with head held high--
Indeed, he looked rather ashamed instead
For he hadn't caught the squirrel red.
Spy couldn't climb trees, and so, you see,
Master Squirrel escaped quite easily.
"You're young," said Gay, "and is that why
You act so silly?"
"_Bow-wow!_" said Spy.
"I'm tired of walking," the little girl said,
"I think I will pick some flowers instead.
I will take them home to my Grandma, dear;
She loves them but she can't walk out here."
There were plenty of flowers all around.
Sweet white violets covered the ground.
There were lovely long-stemmed blue ones, too,
And all around the May-flowers grew.
But when she had all her hands would hold,
It was time to leave, it was growing cold.
The sun was sinking. But where was Spy?
She whistled and called,--but no reply!
"Where can he be?" she said, when hark!
Off in the distance she heard him bark.
"He must have a rabbit," said she, "that's all."
And sure enough, by an old stone-wall,
Spy was barking away as hard as he could--
As if scaring the rabbit would do any good.
"The rabbit is safe in that wall," said Gay,
"He wouldn't come out if you barked all day.
So you better come home for it's growing late.
And Mother will wonder why I wait.
Supper'll be ready, too. Oh, my!
Are you hungry as I am?"
"_Bow-wow!_" said Spy.
[Illustration: "I'SE BIGGEST!"
FROM AN ENGRAVING OF THE PAINTING BY ARTHUR J. ELSLEY.]
The Ballad of a runaway Donkey:
by Emilie Poulsson:
here shadow'd forth in divers pictures by Alfred Brenon.
A sturdy little Donkey,
All dressed in sober gray,
Once took it in his long-eared head
That he would run away.
2 So, when a little open
He saw the sable door,
He ran as if he never would
Come back there any more.
3 Away that Donkey galloped
And ran and ran and ran
And ran and ran and ran and ran
And Ran and RAn and RAN!
4 Behind him ran the Children,
The Groom and Coachman, too;
The Farmer and the farmer's man,
To see what they could do.
5 Some carried whips to whip him,
Some, oats to coax him near,
Some called "Come here you foolish beast!"
And some, "Come, Barney, dear."
6 But not a whit cared Barney
For cross or coaxing word;
And clatter, clatter, clatter still,
His little hoofs were heard.
7 And all across the meadow,
And up and o'er the hill,
And through the woods and down the dale
He galloped with a will.
8 And into every hayfield
And through the swamp and mire
Still Barney ran and ran and ran
As if he'd never tire!
9 His chasers all stopped running,
Then meek as any lamb
Did Barney stand as if to say,
"Come catch me! here I am."
10 But when one of them started,
Then Barney started, too;
As if the chase had just begun
Away he swiftly flew.
11 But there's an end to all things,
And so, (the stupid elf)
When no one else could capture him
This donkey caught himself.
12 For, running in the barn-yard,
He did not calculate
What consequences would befall,
And hit the swinging gate.
13 It quickly swung together,
Down dropped the iron latch
O, Barney Gray! to think that you
The runaway should catch!
14 The Children danced with pleasure,
The Groom roared with delight,
The Others smiled their broadest smiles
Or laughed with all their might.
15 But Barney, naughty Barney,
Had mischief in him still
For when the laughing Coachman tried
To lead him up the hill
16 His donkeyship determined
That he would yet have fun
So braced himself and stood stock still
As if he weighed a ton!
17 But mighty was the Coachman
And pulled with such a will
That Barney soon was being dragged
Full roughly up the hill.
18 "Well, well!" at last thought Barney
"The Coachman is so strong
I might as well be good just now,"
And so he walked along.
19 And when he reached the stable
And stood within the stall,
You'd scarce believe so meek a beast
Could run away, at all!
20 Now all the meditations
Of this same Barney Gray
Are only of some future chance
When he may run away.