Now what's the use of wondering
Why 'tis not always day?
For we must have the night to sleep
So we can rest from play.
And there's the little birdies too,
It's all right they are wild;
For it never was intended
They should play with a child.
I'd rather hear them singing sweet
Than hear them try to talk;
And rather see them flying high
Than see them try to walk.
Then what would be the use of wings
Upon a pussy cat?
Because she could not catch a mouse
When flying like a bat.
Then what good could a dolly do
To cry, or fret, or scream,
Because her mama's gentle hand
Was trying to wash her clean.
And then I think it is all right
Because the world turns round;
For gravitation in the earth
Does keep us on the ground.
So then, to me, this world of ours
Seems just as it should be;
And with it all I'm satisfied,
And hope it is with me.

HOW HAZEL KEPT HOUSE

"I'm going to be the housekeeper,
While you are gone away,"
Said Hazel to her mama,
One lovely summer day;
"For I can tend the baby,
It's nothing more than play.
"I'll play that I am mama
With lots of work to do;
And then I'll call on brother
To come and help me through
With dishes and the sweeping,
Like papa does help you."
Then mama kissed her daughter,
And said a fond good-by;
But gently did remind her:
"Don't let the baby cry,
Don't burn the dinner pudding,
Don't boil the kettle dry."
There were dishes to be washed,
And kitchen floor to sweep,
And soon the precious baby
To rock and sing to sleep;
And dinner to get ready,
And a watch on pudding keep.
So busy was our Hazel
With dinner to prepare,
She did not notice baby
Was tired of her chair,
Nor that her helpful brother
Had run away somewhere.
She went to stir the pudding,
But baby began to cry;
She had to stop and rock her,
And sing a lullaby;
But could not get her quiet,
No matter how she'd try.
She called for helpful brother,
And thought he was around;
But no response was given,
Not one familiar sound;
For little helpful brother
Was nowhere to be found.
The noon hour was approaching,
With dinner—not in sight,
Although our patient Hazel
Had worked with will and might
To have it cooked and ready,
And make the pudding right.
When papa came at noon-time,
A hungry man was he,
But not a tempting morsel
For dinner could he see;
But poor discouraged Hazel
With baby on her knee.
The table looked untidy,
The floor was yet unswept,
And naughty little brother,—
Safe out of sight had kept,
While Hazel, with the baby,
Had set her down and wept.
When mama came at evening
She heard her daughter say:
"O mama, take the baby,
I've had an awful day!"
And Hazel found that keeping house
Was something more than play.

DROPS OF HONEY

There was a little busy bee
That roamed a field all over;
At last he spied a blossom red
Upon a stem of clover.
He lit upon that blossom red
And searched it through and through;
And found some drops of honey there
That sparkled like the dew.
He took those drops of honey
And put them in his hive;
And when the cold, cold winter came
They kept the bee alive.