For I would dress the little girl
That Garibaldi kissed
In a necklace all of precious pearl,
With a bracelet for her wrist,
With diamonds in her stomacher,
And garlands in her hair;
She should sit, for folks to come at her,
All in a silver chair;
And no one would be rude
To Garibaldi’s pet,—
The sight would do the people good,
They never would forget!
Oh glorious is the girl
Whom such a man has kissed,
The proudest duke or earl
Stands lower in the list!
It would be a happy plan
For everything that’s human,
If the pet of such a man
Should grow to such a woman!
If she does as much in her way
As he has done in his,—
Turns bad things topsy-turvey,
And sad things into bliss,—
Oh, we shall not need a survey
To find that little miss,
Grown to a woman worthy
Of Garibaldi’s kiss!