Once as little Isabella
Ventured with a large umbrella,
Out upon a rainy day
She was nearly blown away.
Sadly frightened then was she,
For 'twas very near the sea,
And the wind was very high,
But, alas! no friend was nigh.
Luckily her good mamma
Saw her trouble from afar;
Running just in time, she caught her
Pretty little flying daughter.
And if he got an encore, which he often did for this piece, for he loved saying it, he used to tell the story of Robert:—
When the rain comes tumbling down
In the country or the town,
All good little girls and boys
Stay at home and mind their toys.
Robert thought,—"No, when it pours,
It is better out of doors."
Here you see him, silly fellow,
Underneath his red umbrella.
Now look at the silly fellow,
The wind has caught his red umbrella,
Up he flies to the skies;
No one hears his screams and cries.
No one ever yet could tell
Where he stopped, or where he fell:
Only, this one thing is plain,
Bob was never seen again!
And they always used to finish up with the black nigger girl on horseback:—
Dis yah am de niggah gal
Come to say good night,
Wishin' all de picanninies
Dreams of fairies bright.
Wishin' all de niggah boys,
Plently laugh and fun,
Wishin' dat this circus game
Was only jus' begun,
'Stead of bein' as 'tis now,
Finished, when I've made my bow.
Then Little Dumpty made her jump up on the bareback horse and bow to his Mother.
At half-past seven Dumpty had to "prepare," as he said, that is he had to begin to think about bed, just so that bed-time shouldn't come when he was in the middle of something very interesting, and at a quarter to eight he had to go. He gave his Mother a kiss, and often when he had been very good and happy she gave him an acid drop to suck when he was in bed.
