Project Gutenberg's Christmas Roses, by Lizzie Lawson and Robert Ellice Mack This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: Christmas Roses Author: Lizzie Lawson Robert Ellice Mack Release Date: May 29, 2008 [EBook #25634] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTMAS ROSES *** Produced by K. Nordquist, Jacqueline Jeremy and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) Christmas Roses Cover Tree Title Page Christmas Roses by Lizzie Lawson and Robert Elice Mack London: Griffith, Farran & Company St. Paul’s Churchyard. Christmas Roses A Christmas Roses. Christmas Roses BUNCH of Christmas Roses, dear, To greet my fairest child, I plucked them in my garden where The drifting snow lay piled. I cannot bring thee violets dear, Or cowslips growing wild, Or daisy chain for thee to wear, For thee to wear, my child. For all the grassy meadows near Are clad with snow, my child; Through all the days of winter drear No ray of sun has smiled. I plucked this bunch of verses, dear, From out my garden wild, I plucked them in the winter drear For you, my fairest child, Your wet and wintry hours to cheer, They’re Christmas Roses, child. [4] I The Christmas Stocking. THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING. DON’T believe that Santa Claus will come to you and me,” Said little crippled Nell, “a’cause, we are so poor you see; And then I don’t believe the ‘chimbley’s’ wide enough for him, D’ye think that Santa Claus will come, when all the lights are dim.” “Of course he comes to every one, dear, whether rich or poor; Now go to bed dear Nell,” said Nan, “he’ll come to-night I’m sure.” * * * * * I don’t know if by chimney or if by stair he crept, But sure enough he visited the room where Nelly slept. He brought a golden orange, and a monkey red and blue, That climbed a little wooden stick in a way I couldn’t do. He hung them in Nell’s stocking, and Nan was right, be sure, That Santa Claus loves every one however rich or poor. [5] I THE PET RABBIT. HAVE a little Bunny with a coat as soft as down, And nearly all of him is white except one bit of brown. The first thing in the morning when I get out of bed, I wonder if my Bunny’s still safe in his little shed. And then the next thing that I do I dare say you have guessed; It’s to go at once and see him, when I am washed and dressed. And every day I see him I like him more and more, And each day he is bigger than he was the day before. I feed him in the morning with bran and bits of bread, And every night I take some straw to make his little bed. What with carrots in the morning and turnip-tops for tea, If a bunny can be happy, I’m sure he ought to be. Then when it’s nearly bedtime I go down to his shed, And say ‘Good night you Bunny’ before I go to bed. I think there’s only one thing that would make me happy quite, If I could take my Bunny dear with me to bed at night?” [6] The Pet Rabbit. [7] [8] I FATHER’S BOAT. T’S Father’s boat we’re watching, Away out on the sea, She’s named the Pretty Polly, One hundred and ninety three, Father called her the Polly, After Mother and me. There isn’t a smarter boat Than Father’s on the sea, The Pretty Polly is our ship, Father’s the skipper is he, And we are watching for Father, We’re watching, Nancy and me. Sometimes the wind blows wildly, But Nancy, and Mother, and me, We sing a bit of a hymn we know, The hymn for those at sea, Although when we think of Father, We’re as near to choke as can be. To-night the moon will be shining, A sight it will be to see, Father’s ship all in silver, A’sail on a silver sea, And Father himself a coming home To Mother and Nancy and me. Father’s Boat. [9] [10] M A MISTAKE. Y dears, whatever are you at? You ought to be at home; I told you not to wet your feet— I told you not to roam. “Oh, dear! I’m sure you will be drowned! I never saw such tricks Come home at once, and go to bed, You naughty naughty chicks.” Now most of them were five days old, But one, whose age was six— “Please, ma’am,” said he, “I think we’re ducks; I don’t believe we’re chicks!” Little Ducks. [11] W A SAD TALE. HO’S afraid of a cat?” said he; “I’m not afraid of a cat.” He was a bird who sat on a rail, With five other birds, and this was his tale. “I’m not afraid of a cat.” “I might be afraid if I were a mouse, Or even if I were a rat: But as I’m a bird I give you my word I’m not afraid of a cat.” A cat and her kits came down on the scene, Five birds flew over the rail; Our hero was caught As quick as a thought, And didn’t he alter his tale! “You’ve made a mistake, Mister Cat,” said he; “You must please let me go, Mister Cat. I’m not at all nice, I don’t taste like mice: You’d much better have a young rat.” Said the cat, “It’s no use, You may be a goose, I’ll not let you go for all that.” [12] P THE CREW OF THE NANCY LEE. OLLY’S the mate of the Nancy Lee, And Tom is the skipper bold, They sail together In rough wind and weather, And they are the crew, all told. In their taut and trim little boat they ride Away o’er the bright blue sea, With hands ever ready, And hearts ever steady, Whatever the dangers may be. And a smarter crew will never be found, Though you may search the whole world round. [13] Hie For Christmas. [14] [15] B HIE FOR CHRISTMAS! RING Frost, bring Snow, Come winter, Bring us holly, Bring joy at Christmas, Off with Melancholy! Sing hie, sing hey, Sing ho, Sing holly, Sing hie for Christmas! Isn’t winter jolly? Sing Jack, Sing Jill, Sing Jo, Sing Polly, Sing hie for Christmas, Mistletoe and Holly. Putting Away The Toys. [16] I BEDTIME. T’S bedtime, bedtime, Cissy dear, It’s time to put away, Your little Noah’s ark dear Until another day, You know it isn’t right at all To tire yourself with play. And they too must be tired dear, The elephants want to go To bed,—if they’re much later, They’ll all be ill I know, And every well bred camel, Is in bed long ago. And surely you can see dear, It really isn’t right, The little dove’s so tired dear, She scarce can stand upright. It does not do to keep them up So very late at night.” [17]