L’ENFANT TERRIBLE.
1.
I wish that grown-up gentlemen,
And grown-up ladies, too,
Would learn to speak as plainly
As other people do.
2.
Uncle calls me some queer name,
Something “long” I know;
I cannot tell quite what it is,—
He always says it low.
3.
I never call him “long,” although
He’s seven or eight feet high,
Or more, perhaps—at any rate,
He’s longer far than I.
4.
I tried to wait in uncle’s room
To ask him what it meant,
But all my poor dear dollies
Wanted some of uncle’s scent.
5.
They’re very fond of scent, you know,
And so I gave them plenty;
But, oh, dear me! I was surprised
To find the bottle empty.
With sister it is just the same—
She says I am de trop
Whenever there is company,
What’s that, I’d like to know?
7.
To-day (of course to help them)
I just took off the string
From a cunning little parcel
I saw the postman bring.
8.
It was the sweetest ring, although
It did not fit me quite,
So I put it in my pocket
To keep it out of sight.
9.
My birthday cake was getting made
Down stairs that very minute,
And when cook looked the other way
I pushed the ring down in it.
10.
And if the ring should fall to Rose,
I’ll be so glad, you know,
For she is my darling sister
And I really love her so.
