Very Short Stories And Verses For Children

<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</SPAN></span></p> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <h2><SPAN name="ROUND_THE_TEA-TABLE" id="ROUND_THE_TEA-TABLE"></SPAN>ROUND THE TEA-TABLE.</h2> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">A nice little party we're seated at tea,<br/></span> <span class="i1">The dollies all seem very glad,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Save the poor little thing who is leaning on me;<br/></span> <span class="i1">I fear that she feels rather bad;<br/></span> <span class="i0">Poor limp little thing! she wants a back-bone,<br/></span> <span class="i1">She's only just made up of rag.<br/></span> <span class="i0">There's little Miss Prim sitting up all alone,<br/></span> <span class="i1">And the Japanese looks like a wag.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">Now what shall we talk of, my own dollies fair?<br/></span> <span class="i1">And what shall we give you for tea?<br/></span> <span class="i0">That queer little thing with the short frizzy hair,<br/></span> <span class="i1">Why does he keep looking at me?<br/></span> <span class="i0">My sister and I we will sing you a song<br/></span> <span class="i1">Before we get up from the table;<br/></span> <span class="i0">It shall not be sad, and it shall not be long&mdash;<br/></span> <span class="i1">We'll sing it as well as we're able.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i6">SONG.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">The darkness is stealing all over the place,<br/></span> <span class="i1">The flowers are weeping for sorrow,<br/></span> <span class="i0">The daisy is hiding its little round face,<br/></span> <span class="i1">The sun has gone seeking to-morrow.<br/></span><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</SPAN></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">So while you are seated all round the tea-table,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Please join in the chorus as well as you're able;<br/></span> <span class="i1">O! sing! sing away for your life.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i6 smcap">Chorus.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i2">It's time to cut off the dicky birds' noses,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Time to cut off the dicky birds' noses,<br/></span> <span class="i2">It's time to cut off the dicky birds' noses,<br/></span> <span class="i3">So bring me the carving-knife.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">The darkness is hiding the birds on the trees,<br/></span> <span class="i1">The thrushes are weary of singing,<br/></span> <span class="i0">A strange little rumour is borne on the breeze<br/></span> <span class="i1">Of Summer the swallows are bringing.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">So while you are seated all round the tea-table,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Please join in the chorus as well as you're able;<br/></span> <span class="i1">O! sing! sing away for your life.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i6 smcap">Chorus.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i2">It's time to cut off the dicky birds' noses,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Time to cut off the dicky birds' noses,<br/></span> <span class="i2">It's time to cut off the dicky birds' noses,<br/></span> <span class="i3">So bring me the carving-knife.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">The Summer is stealing all over the place,<br/></span> <span class="i1">The wind is all scented with roses,<br/></span> <span class="i0">The dear little birds are all flying a race,<br/></span> <span class="i1">On purpose to give us their noses.<br/></span><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</SPAN></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">So while you are seated all round the tea-table,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Please join in the chorus as well as you're able;<br/></span> <span class="i1">O! sing! sing away for your life.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i6 smcap">Chorus.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i2">It's time to cut off the dicky birds' noses<br/></span> <span class="i2">Time to cut off the dicky birds' noses,<br/></span> <span class="i2">It's time to cut off the dicky birds' noses,<br/></span> <span class="i3">So bring me the carving-knife.<br/></span></div> </div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />