And there on the grass, as exhausted he lay,
And saw his sweet flowers all floating away,
He cried with vexation and pain;
And he thought, "I will tell my dear mother of this,
I will ask her forgiveness, my fault I'll confess, And I'll not disobey her again.”
LETTER FROM AN INFANT, TO HER COUSIN
CARRIE dear, my baby-cousin,
I send you kisses by the dozen,
Hoping they will meet you, love,
Kind and gentle as the dove.
Nine months old this day are we,
A birth-day gift I send to thee,
That you may think of little me;
For it is just like another,
Bought this day for me by mother,
Who thought the color was so bright,
It would find favor in our sight;
And little babies, so they say,
Delight in colors bright and gay.
I wish to know what you can do,
That's wonderful and strange and new.
I can talk all day and night,
I can sit and stand and bite,
I can laugh and I can cry,
As loud as any large baby.
They say I am extremely small,
But that I can't believe at all;
I know my soul is very great,
For I can think and love and hate.
I have teeth one more than two;
Tell me, is it thus' with you?
And to-day, while I was sleeping,
Mother saw another peeping
Through the wound, that Dr. Hale
Made the day I looked so pale,
And felt so sadly sick and weak,
That I could not look up or speak.
But now I am a good deal better,
Else I could never write this letter.
I hope that you are well and glad,
And nothing comes to make you sad;
No disappointments and no frights;
And that you're good in the dark nights,
And let your mother sleep in quiet,
Although I often make a riot.
But O, all others far above,
I do my mother fondly love;
And my dear father, whom I greet,
Always, with a smile most sweet.
But all strangers, great and small,
I'm sure I cannot love at all.
And now, my Carrie, I must say
Farewell, I'll write another day,
And tell you all about the city,
And how my heart beats wild with pity
For country babies, who can see
Nought but a barn, a cow, or tree;
But now adieu, you'll answer this;
Receive my love, my parting kiss.
It is thy birth-day, dearest!
Without a cloud or frown,
The earth is smiling sweetly,
As the sunshine cometh down.
All things look bright and happy, On this thy natal day,
And may it be an emblem
Of thine own earthly way.
Oh! may thy sky be stainless,
No sin be written there,
Then will the sun of gladness
Be shining every where.
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