hey hurried to their home and then
Began their barbarous bowling.
They set in rows the children ten
And then set Roy a-rolling.
But as the giants were strong and great,
They shot poor Roy at such a rate,
And with such might,
That out of sight
Poor Roy was set a-rolling.

[Illustration]

He rolled and rolled and rolled and rolled,
But soon, his fears dispelling,
With happiness he did behold
He'd safely reached his dwelling.
Secure and safe from further harms,
His mother caught him in her arms,
And said with joy,
"My darling boy,
You've safely reached your dwelling."

Now rolling seems to him to be
More dangerous than walking.
And Roly Poly Roy you'll see
Along the sidewalks stalking.
He'll always have a certain fear
That giants may be lurking near,
And so he'll go
With motion slow
Along the sidewalk stalking.

[Illustration]

My Barometer

[Illustration]

My little maid with golden hair
Comes each morning for a kiss;
And I know the day will be fine and fair
When Polly looks like this.

[Illustration]

Or I know the clouds will frown and lower,
The skies will be dull and gray,
And perhaps there'll be a passing shower,
When Polly looks this way.

[Illustration]

But a violent storm of rain or snow
I can prognosticate,
For the sign will never fail, I know,
When this is Polly's pate.

The Butter Betty Bought

Betty Botta bought some butter;
"But," said she, "this butter's bitter!
If I put it in my batter
It will make my batter bitter.
But a bit o' better butter
Will but make my batter better."
Then she bought a bit o' butter
Better than the bitter butter,
Made her bitter batter better.
So 'twas better Betty Botta
Bought a bit o' better butter.

[Illustration]

A Marvel

An old astronomer there was
Who lived up in a tower,
Named Ptolemy Copernicus
Flammarion McGower.
He said: "I can prognosticate
With estimates correct;
And when the skies I contemplate,
I know what to expect.
When dark'ning clouds obscure my sight,
I think perhaps 'twill rain;
And when the stars are shining bright,
I know 'tis clear again."
And then abstractedly he scanned
The heavens, hour by hour,
Old Ptolemy Copernicus
Flammarion McGower.

An Alphabet Zoo

A was an apt Alligator,
Who wanted to be a head-waiter;
He said