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Page 88—Play Land

Swinging
Here we go on the garden swing,
Under the chestnut tree.
Up in the branches birdies sing
Songs to Baby and me,
Baby and Kitty and me.
Then up, high up, for the ropes are long,
And down, low down, for the branch is strong.
And there's room on the seat for three,
Just Baby and Kitty and me
Merrily swinging,
Merrily singing,
Under the chestnut tree.
Up to the clustering leaves we go,
Down we sweep to the grass,
Touching the daisies there below,
Bowing to let us pass,
Smiling to us as we pass.
Then up, high up, for the ropes are long,
And down, low down, for the branch is strong.
And there's room on the seat for three,
Just Baby and Kitty and me
Merrily swinging,
Merrily singing,
Under the chestnut tree.
Skating
One day it chanced that Miss Maud did meet
The poet's little son,
"I'm going skating, Sir," she said;
"And so am I," said John.
"If you can skate and I can skate,
Why let me skate with you,
We'll go the whole world round and round,
And skate the whole year through."
They skated left, and skated right,
Miss Maud and little John,
That is—as long as there was ice
For them to skate upon.
And then they did unstrap their skates
Like other girls and men,
And never used them once—until
They put them on again!
The Skipping Rope
Lessons now at last are over,
Books and slates are put away;
Hymns attentively repeated,
Copy without a blot completed,
Now's the time for fun and play.
Lessons done with cheerful spirit
Bring the sure reward of merit,
Smiling face and heart so gay;
In this bright and smiling weather,
Merrily they all together,
With the skipping rope will play;
And if only Tom and Polly
Will come too, it will be jolly!
Here they are now, foot it lightly,
Hand in hand they skip so sprightly,
Bees are humming,
Summer's coming.
Birds are singing as they're bringing
Twigs from many a distant tree;
Lined with down, and moss, and feather,
Where they'll sit and chirp together,
Oh! how snug those homes will be!
O'er the ropes so lightly skipping,
O'er the grass so lightly tripping,
The children are as glads as they.
Lessons are done with cheerful spirit,
Bring the sure reward of merit;
And remember, too, that they
Who work hardest day by day,
Always most enjoy their play.