oor fox in the black bleak woods
Still calling for her little ones in vain.
As, all mutely, we returned to the warm fireside,
Mother would say: "How would you like for _me_
To be out there, this dark night, in the cold woods,
Calling for _my_ children?"

[Illustration]

* * * * *

II

UNCLE BRIGHTENS UP--

[Illustration]

Uncle he says 'at 'way down in the sea
Ever'thing's ist like it _used_ to be:--
He says they's mermaids, an' mermens, too,
An' little merchildern, like me an' you--
Little merboys, with tops an' balls,
An' little mergirls, with little merdolls.

[Illustration]

Uncle Sidney's vurry proud
Of little Leslie-Janey,
'Cause she's so smart, an' goes to school
Clean 'way in Pennsylvany!

* * * * *

[Illustration: "AN' ALL BE POETS AN' ALL RECITE."]

* * * * *

She print' an' sent a postul-card
To Uncle Sidney, telling
How glad he'll be to hear that she
"Toock the onners in Speling."

Uncle he learns us to rhyme an' write
An' all be poets an' all recite:
His little-est poet's his little-est niece,
An' this is her little-est poetry-piece.

[Illustration]

* * * * *

III

SINGS A "WINKY-TOODEN" SONG--

[Illustration]

O here's a little rhyme for the Spring- or Summer-time--
An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!--
Just a little bit o' tune you can twitter, May or June,
An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!
It's a song that soars and sings,
As the birds that twang their wings
Or the katydids and things
Thus and so, don't you know,
An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!

It's a song just broken loose, with no reason or excuse--
An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!
You can sing along with it--or it matters not a bit--
An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!
It's a lovely little thing
That 'most any one could sing
With a ringle-dingle-ding,
Soft and low, don't you know,
An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!

[Illustration]

* * * * *

[Illustration]

IV

AND MAKES NURSERY RHYMES

1

THE DINERS IN THE KITCHEN

[Illustration]

Our dog Fred
Et the bread.

[Illustration]

Our dog Dash
Et the hash.

[Illustration]

Our dog Pete
Et the meat.

[Illustration]

Our dog Davy
Et the gravy.

[Illustration]