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小说: love-songs of childhood 字数: 每页4000字

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An' then I laff an' holler; 〃Oh; ye never teched me!〃

But jest 'fore Christmas I'm as good as I kin be!



Gran'ma says she hopes that when I git to be a man;

I'll be a missionarer like her oldest brother; Dan;

As was et up by the cannibuls that lives in Ceylon's Isle;

Where every prospeck pleases; an' only man is vile!

But gran'ma she has never been to see a Wild West show;

Nor read the Life of Daniel Boone; or else I guess she'd know

That Buff'lo Bill an' cow…boys is good enough for me!

Excep' jest 'fore Christmas; when I'm good as I kin be!



And then old Sport he hangs around; so solemn…like an' still;

His eyes they seem a…sayin': 〃What's the matter; little Bill?〃

The old cat sneaks down off her perch an' wonders what's become

Of them two enemies of hern that used to make things hum!

But I am so perlite an' 'tend so earnestly to biz;

That mother says to father: 〃How improved our Willie is!〃

But father; havin' been a boy hisself; suspicions me

When; jest 'fore Christmas; I'm as good as I kin be!



For Christmas; with its lots an' lots of candies; cakes; an' toys;

Was made; they say; for proper kids an' not for naughty boys;

So wash yer face an' bresh yer hair; an' mind yer p's and q's;

An' don't bust out yer pantaloons; and don't wear out yer shoes;

Say 〃Yessum〃 to the ladies; an' 〃Yessur〃 to the men;

An' when they's company; don't pass yer plate for pie again;

But; thinkin' of the things yer'd like to see upon that tree;

Jest 'fore Christmas be as good as yer kin be!







BEARD AND BABY



I say; as one who never feared

The wrath of a subscriber's bullet;

I pity him who has a beard

But has no little girl to pull it!



When wife and I have finished tea;

Our baby woos me with her prattle;

And; perching proudly on my knee;

She gives my petted whiskers battle。



With both her hands she tugs away;

While scolding at me kind o' spiteful;

You'll not believe me when I say

I find the torture quite delightful!



No other would presume; I ween;

To trifle with this hirsute wonder;

Else would I rise in vengeful mien

And rend his vandal frame asunder!



But when her baby fingers pull

This glossy; sleek; and silky treasure;

My cup of happiness is full …

I fairly glow with pride and pleasure!



And; sweeter still; through all the day

I seem to hear her winsome prattle …

I seem to feel her hands at play;

As though they gave me sportive battle。



Yes; heavenly music seems to steal

Where thought of her forever lingers;

And round my heart I always feel

The twining of her dimpled fingers!







THE DINKEY BIRD



In an ocean; 'way out yonder

(As all sapient people know);

Is the land of Wonder…Wander;

Whither children love to go;

It's their playing; romping; swinging;

That give great joy to me

While the Dinkey…Bird goes singing

In the amfalula tree!



There the gum…drops grow like cherries;

And taffy's thick as peas …

Caramels you pick like berries

When; and where; and how you please;

Big red sugar…plums are clinging

To the cliffs beside that sea

Where the Dinkey…Bird is singing

In the amfalula tree。



So when children shout and scamper

And make merry all the day;

When there's naught to put a damper

To the ardor of their play;

When I hear their laughter ringing;

Then I'm sure as sure can be

That the Dinkey…Bird is singing

In the amfalula tree。



For the Dinkey…Bird's bravuras

And staccatos are so sweet …

His roulades; appoggiaturas;

And robustos so complete;

That the youth of every nation …

Be they near or far away …

Have especial delectation

In that gladsome roundelay。



Their eyes grow bright and brighter;

Their lungs begin to crow;

Their hearts get light and lighter;

And their cheeks are all aglow;

For an echo cometh bringing

The news to all and me;

That the Dinkey…Bird is singing

In the amfalula tree。



I'm sure you like to go there

To see your feathered friend …

And so many goodies grow there

You would like to comprehend!

Speed; little dreams; your winging

To that land across the sea

Where the Dinkey…Bird is singing

In the amfalula tree!








THE DRUM



I'm a beautiful red; red drum;

And I train with the soldier boys;

As up the street we come;

Wonderful is our noise!

There's Tom; and Jim; and Phil;

And Dick; and Nat; and Fred;

While Widow Cutler's Bill

And I march on ahead;

With a r…r…rat…tat…tat

And a tum…titty…um…tum…tum …

Oh; there's bushels of fun in that

For boys with a little red drum!



The Injuns came last night

While the soldiers were abed;

And they gobbled a Chinese kite

And off to the woods they fled!

The woods are the cherry…trees

Down in the orchard lot;

And the soldiers are marching to seize

The booty the Injuns got。

With tum…titty…um…tum…tum;

And r…r…rat…tat…tat;

When soldiers marching come

Injuns had better scat!



Step up there; little Fred;

And; Charley; have a mind!

Jim is as far ahead

As you two are behind!

Ready with gun and sword

Your valorous work to do …

Yonder the Injun horde

Are lying in wait for you。

And their hearts go pitapat

When they hear the soldiers come

With a r…r…rat…tat…tat

And a tum…titty…um…tum…tum!



Course it's all in play!

The skulking Injun crew

That hustled the kite away

Are little white boys; like you!

But 〃honest〃 or 〃just in fun;〃

It is all the same to me;

And; when the battle is won;

Home once again march we

With a r…r…rat…tat…tat

And tum…titty…um…tum…tum;

And there's glory enough in that

For the boys with their little red drum!







THE DEAD BABE



Last night; as my dear babe lay dead;

In agony I knelt and said:

〃0 God! what have I done;

Or in what wise offended Thee;

That Thou should'st take away from me

My little son?



〃Upon the thousand useless lives;

Upon the guilt that vaunting thrives;

Thy wrath were better spent!

Why should'st Thou take my little son …

Why should'st Thou vent Thy wrath upon

This innocent?〃



Last night; as my dear babe lay dead;

Before mine eyes the vision spread

Of things that might have been:

Licentious riot; cruel strife;

Forgotten prayers; a wasted life

Dark red with sin!



Then; with sweet music in the air;

I saw another vision there:

A Shepherd in whose keep

A little lamb … my little child!

Of worldly wisdom undefiled;

Lay fast asleep!



Last night; as my dear babe lay dead;

In those two messages I read

A wisdom manifest;

And though my arms be childless now;

I am content … to Him I bow

Who knoweth best。







THE HAPPY HOUSEHOLD



It's when the birds go piping and the daylight slowly breaks;

That; clamoring for his dinner; our precious baby wakes;

Then it's sleep no more for baby; and it's sleep no more for me;

For; when he wants his dinner; why it's dinner it must be!

And of that lacteal fluid he partakes with great ado;

  While gran'ma laughs;

  And gran'pa laughs;

  And wife; she laughs;

  And I … well; I laugh; too!



You'd think; to see us carrying on about that little tad;

That; like as not; that baby was the first we'd ever had;

But; sakes alive! he isn't; yet we people make a fuss

As if the only baby in the world had come to us!

And; morning; noon; and night…time; whatever he may do;

  Gran'ma; she laughs;

  Gran'pa; he laughs;

  Wife; she laughs;

  And I; of course; laugh; too!



But once … a likely spell ago … when that poor little chick

From teething or from some such ill of infancy fell sick;

You wouldn't know us people as the same that went about

A…feelin' good all over; just to hear him crow and shout;

And; though the doctor poohed our fears and said he'd pull him through;

  Old gran'ma cried;

  And gran'pa cried;

  And wife; she cried;

  And I … yes; I cried; too!



It makes us all feel good to have a baby on the place;

With his everlastin' 

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