Puts on her grave thinking-cap, shakes her brown curls,

And talks to herself, in a curious way,

Of “snow” and a “ball” and a “hot summer’s day!”

Then, down to the brook, where the gnarled willows grow,

And the ice-covered reeds stand like soldiers in row,

Our brave little girl trudges off all alone,

And rolls a large snow-ball just under the stone

That lies on the brink of the streamlet, and then

In this wise begins her soliloquy: “When

The Fourth of July comes, what fun it will be