I put on my hat with the band of blue,
And my frock with the frilly lace,
I took my sunshade, and held it up,
To keep the sun off my face.
I thought I’d go calling like Mother does,
And have pretty cakes for tea,
And sit on the edge of a chair and talk
With a tea-cup on my knee.
I walked all along the sunny road,
Till I came to Mrs. Leroy’s.
I climbed the steps, and I rang the bell—
It made such a jangley noise.
And then I suddenly felt afraid,
And couldn’t think what I would say
When they opened the door—so I jumped
the steps,
And I ran back home all the way.
Nurse saw me coining in my best frock,
And oh, how she scolded me!
And that’s why I’m wearing an overall now,
And not having jam for tea.
[BEFORE BREAKFAST]
I go round the garden early, when the grass is
bright with dew,
And I have to put goloshes on my feet.
I’ll tell you all I do there, right away from
people’s view,
When the world is half-awake and very
sweet.
I shake the lady hollyhocks to make the bees
fly out,
And I see how much they’ve grown since
yesterday.
I pop the fattest fuchsia buds, if gardener’s
not about,
And I blow the dandelion clocks away.
I smell the honeysuckle and the lavender as
well,
I take the rose-leaves fallen down beyond;
They’re pink and white and beautiful, just like
a fairy shell,
And I save them up for sailing on the pond.
I stand upon the mossy wall, and smell the
new mown hay,
And I feel the wind that blows the clouds
along;
I think there never, never could be such a
lovely day—
And then, I hear that horrid breakfast gong!