Love…Songs　of　Childhood
  by　Eugene　Field
  To　Mrs。　Belle　Angler
  Dearest　Aunt：
  Many　years　ago　you　used　to　rock　me　to　sleep；　cradling　me　in　your
  arms　and　singing　me　petty　songs。　　Surely　you　have　not　forgotten
  that　time；　and　I　recall　it　with　tenderness。　　You　were　very
  beautiful　then。　　But　you　are　more　beautiful　now；　for；　in　the　years
  that　have　come　and　gone　since　then；　the　joys　and　the　sorrows　of
  maternity　have　impressed　their　saintly　grace　upon　the　dear　face　I
  used　to　kiss；　and　have　made　your　gentle　heart　gentler　still。
  Beloved　lady；　in　memory　of　years　to　be　recalled　only　in　thought；
  and　in　token　of　my　gratitude　and　affection；　I　bring　you　these
  little　love…songs；　and　reverently　I　lay　them　at　your　feet。
  Eugene　Field
  Chicago；　November　1；　1894
  THE　LOVE…SONGS
  By　Eugene　Field
  THE　ROCK…A…BY　LADY
  〃BOOH〃！
  GARDEN　AND　CRADLE
  THE　NIGHT　WIND
  KISSING　TIME
  JEST　'FORE　CHRISTMAS
  BEARD　AND　BABY
  THE　DINKEY…BIRD
  THE　DRUM
  THE　DEAD　BABE
  THE　HAPPY　HOUSEHOLD
  So；　so；　ROCK…A…BY　SO！
  THE　SONG　OF　LUDDY…DUD
  THE　DUEL
  GOOD…CHILDREN　STREET
  THE　DELECTABLE　BALLAD　OF　THE　WALLER　LOT
  THE　STORK
  THE　BOTTLE　TREE
  GOOGLY…GOO
  THE　BENCH…LEGGED　FYCE
  LITTLE　MISS　BRAG
  THE　HUMMING　TOP
  LADY　BUTTON…EYES
  THE　RIDE　TO　BUMPVILLE
  THE　BROOK
  PICNIC…TIME
  SHUFFLE…SHOON　AND　AMBER…LOCKS
  THE　SHUT…EYE　TRAIN
  LITTLE…OH…DEAR
  THE　FLY…AWAY　HORSE
  SWING　HIGH　AND　SWING　LOW
  WHEN　I　WAS　A　BOY
  AT　PLAY
  A　VALENTINE
  LITTLE　ALL…ALONEY
  SEEIN'　THINGS
  THE　CUNNIN'　LITTLE　THING
  THE　DOLL'S　WOOING
  INSCRIPTION　FOR　MY　LITTLE　SON'S　SILVER　PLATE
  FISHERMAN　JIM'S　KIDS
  〃FIDDLE…DEE…DEE〃
  OVER　THE　HILLS　AND　FAR　AWAY
  THE　ROCK…A…BY　LADY
  The　Rock…a…By　Lady　from　Hushaby　street
  Comes　stealing；　comes　creeping；
  The　poppies　they　hang　from　her　head　to　her　feet；
  And　each　hath　a　dream　that　is　tiny　and　fleet　…
  She　bringeth　her　poppies　to　you；　my　sweet；
  When　she　findeth　you　sleeping！
  There　is　one　little　dream　of　a　beautiful　drum　…
  〃Rub…a…dub！〃　it　goeth；
  There　is　one　little　dream　of　a　big　sugar…plum；
  And　lo！　thick　and　fast　the　other　dreams　come
  Of　popguns　that　bang；　and　tin　tops　that　hum；
  And　a　trumpet　that　bloweth！
  And　dollies　peep　out　of　those　wee　little　dreams
  With　laughter　and　singing；
  And　boats　go　a…floating　on　silvery　streams；
  And　the　stars　peek…a…boo　with　their　own　misty　gleams；
  And　up；　up；　and　up；　where　the　Mother　Moon　beams；
  The　fairies　go　winging！
  Would　you　dream　all　these　dreams　that　are　tiny　and　fleet？
  They'll　come　to　you　sleeping；
  So　shut　the　two　eyes　that　are　weary；　my　sweet；
  For　the　Rock…a…By　Lady　from　Hushaby　street；
  With　poppies　that　hang　from　her　head　to　her　feet；
  Comes　stealing；　comes　creeping。
  〃BOOH！〃
  On　afternoons；　when　baby　boy　has　had　a　splendid　nap；
  And　sits；　like　any　monarch　on　his　throne；　in　nurse's　lap；
  In　some　such　wise　my　handkerchief　I　hold　before　my　face；
  And　cautiously　and　quietly　I　move　about　the　place；
  Then；　with　a　cry；　I　suddenly　expose　my　face　to　view；
  And　you　should　hear　him　laugh　and　crow　when　I　say　〃Booh〃！
  Sometimes　the　rascal　tries　to　make　believe　that　he　is　scared；
  And　really；　when　I　first　began；　he　stared；　and　stared；　and　stared；
  And　then　his　under　lip　came　out　and　farther　out　it　came；
  Till　mamma　and　the　nurse　agreed　it　was　a　〃cruel　shame〃　…
  But　now　what　does　that　same　wee；　toddling；　lisping　baby　do
  But　laugh　and　kick　his　little　heels　when　I　say　〃Booh！〃
  He　laughs　and　kicks　his　little　heels　in　rapturous　glee；　and　then
  In　shrill；　despotic　treble　bids　me　〃do　it　all　aden！〃
  And　I　…　of　course　I　do　it；　for；　as　his　progenitor；
  It　is　such　pretty；　pleasant　play　as　this　that　I　am　for！
  And　it　is；　oh；　such　fun　I　and　sure　that　we　shall　rue
  The　time　when　we　are　both　too　old　to　play　the　game　〃Booh！〃
  GARDEN　AND　CRADLE
  When　our　babe　he　goeth　walking　in　his　garden；
  Around　his　tinkling　feet　the　sunbeams　play；
  The　posies　they　are　good　to　him；
  And　bow　them　as　they　should　to　him；
  As　fareth　he　upon　his　kingly　way；
  And　birdlings　of　the　wood　to　him
  Make　music；　gentle　music；　all　the　day；
  When　our　babe　he　goeth　walking　in　his　garden。
  When　our　babe　he　goeth　swinging　in　his　cradle；
  Then　the　night　it　looketh　ever　sweetly　down；
  The　little　stars　are　kind　to　him；
  The　moon　she　hath　a　mind　to　him
  And　layeth　on　his　head　a　golden　crown；
  And　singeth　then　the　wind　to　him
  A　song；　the　gentle　song　of　Bethlem…town；
  When　our　babe　he　goeth　swinging　in　his　cradle。
  THE　NIGHT　WIND
  Have　you　ever　heard　the　wind　go　〃Yooooo〃？
  'T　is　a　pitiful　sound　to　hear！
  It　seems　to　chill　you　through　and　through
  With　a　strange　and　speechless　fear。
  'T　is　the　voice　of　the　night　that　broods　outside
  When　folk　should　be　asleep；
  And　many　and　many's　the　time　I've　cried
  To　the　darkness　brooding　far　and　wide
  Over　the　land　and　the　deep：
  Whom　do　you　want；　O　lonely　night；
  That　you　wail　the　long　hours　through？〃
  And　the　night　would　say　in　its　ghostly　way：
  〃Yoooooooo！
  Yoooooooo！
  Yoooooooo！〃
  My　mother　told　me　long　ago
  （When　I　was　a　little　tad）
  That　when　the　night　went　wailing　so；
  Somebody　had　been　bad；
  And　then；　when　I　was　snug　in　bed；
  Whither　I　had　been　sent；
  With　the　blankets　pulled　up　round　my　head；
  I'd　think　of　what　my　mother'd　said；
  And　wonder　what　boy　she　meant！
  And　〃Who's　been　bad　to…day？〃　I'd　ask
  Of　the　wind　that　hoarsely　blew；
  And　the　voice　would　say　in　its　meaningful　way：
  〃Yoooooooo！
  Yoooooooo！
  Yoooooooo！〃
  That　this　was　true　I　must　allow　…
  You'll　not　believe　it；　though！
  Yes；　though　I'm　quite　a　model　now；
  I　was　not　always　so。
  And　if　you　doubt　what　things　I　say；
  Suppose　you　make　the　test；
  Suppose；　when　you've　been　bad　some　day
  And　up　to　bed　are　sent　away
  From　mother　and　the　rest　…
  Suppose　you　ask；　〃Who　has　been　bad？〃
  And　then　you'll　hear　what's　true；
  For　the　wind　will　moan　in　its　ruefulest　tone：
  〃Yoooooooo！
  Yoooooooo！
  Yoooooooo！〃
  KISSING　TIME
  'T　is　when　the　lark　goes　soaring
  And　the　bee　is　at　the　bud；
  When　lightly　dancing　zephyrs
  Sing　over　field　and　flood；
  When　all　sweet　things　in　nature
  Seem　joyfully　achime　…
  'T　is　then　I　wake　my　darling；
  For　it　is　kissing　time！
  Go；　pretty　lark；　a…soaring；
  And　suck　your　sweets；　0　bee；
  Sing；　0　ye　winds　of　summer；
  Your　songs　to　mine　and　me；
  For　with　your　song　and　rapture
  Cometh　the　moment　when
  It's　half…past　kissing　time
  And　time　to　kiss　again！
  So　…　so　the　days　go　fleeting
  Like　golden　fancies　free；
  And　every　day　that　cometh
  Is　full　of　sweets　for　me；
  And　sweetest　are　those　moments
  My　darling　comes　to　climb
  Into　my　lap　to　mind　me
  That　it　is　kissing　time。
  Sometimes；　maybe；　he　wanders
  A　heedless；　aimless　way　…
  Sometimes；　maybe；　he　loiters
  In　pretty；　prattling　play；
  But　presently　bethinks　him
  And　hastens　to　me　then；
  For　it's　half…past　kissing　time
  And　time　to　kiss　again！
  JEST　'FORE　CHRISTMAS
  Father　calls　me　William；　sister　calls　me　Will；
  Mother　calls　me　Willie；　but　the　fellers　call　me　Bill！
  Mighty　glad　I　ain't　a　girl　…　ruther　be　a　boy；
  Without　them　sashes；　curls；　an'　things　that's　worn　by　Fauntleroy！
  Love　to　chawnk　green　apples　an'　go　swimmin'　in　the　lake　…
  Hate　to　take　the　castor…ile　they　give　for　bellyache！
  'Most　all　the　time；　the　whole　year　round；　there　ain't　no　flies　on　me；
  But　jest　'fore　Christmas　I'm　as　good　as　I　kin　be！
  Got　a　yeller　dog　named　Sport；　sick　him　on　the　cat；
  First　thing　she　knows　she　doesn't　know　where　she　is　at！
  Got　a　clipper　sled；　an'　when　us　kids　goes　out　to　slide；
  'Long　comes　the　grocery　cart；　an'　we　all　hook　a　ride！
  But　sometimes　when　the　grocery　man　is　worrited　an'　cross；
  He　reaches　at　us　with　his　whip；　an'　larrups　up　his　hoss；
  An'　then　I　laff　an'　holler；　〃Oh；　ye　never　teched　me！〃
  But　jest　'fore　Christmas　I'm　as　good　as　I　kin　be！
  Gran'ma　says　she　hopes　that　when　I　git　to　be　a　man；
  I'll　be　a　missionarer　like　her　oldest　brother；　Dan；
  As　was　et　up　by　the　cannibuls　that　lives　in　Ceylon's　Isle；
  Where　every　prospeck　pleases；　an'　only　man　is　vile！
  But　gran'ma　she　has　never　been　to　see　a　Wild　West　show；
  Nor　read　the　Life　of　Daniel　Boone；　or　else　I　guess　she'd　know
  That　Buff'lo　Bill　an'　cow…boys　is　good　enough　for　me！
  Excep'　jest　'fore　Christmas；　when　I'm　good　as　I　kin　be！
  And　then　old　Sport　he　hangs　around；　so　solemn…like　an'　still；
  His　eyes　they　seem　a…sayin'：　〃What's　the　matter；　little　Bill？〃
  The　old　cat　sneaks　down　off　her　perch　an'　wonders　what's　become
  Of　them　two　enemies　of　hern　that　used　to　make　things　hum！
  But　I　am　so　perlite　an'　'tend　so　earnestly　to　biz；
  That　mother　says　to　father：　〃How　improved　our　Willie　is！〃
  But　father；　havin'　been　a　boy　hisself；　suspicions　me
  When；　jest　'fore　Christmas；　I'm　as　good　as　I　kin　be！
  For　Christmas；　with　its　lots　an'　lots　of　candies；