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Book: Love Songs of Childhood

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

1 - 39 of 39
  • The Rock-A-By Lady
    The Rock-a-By Lady from Hushaby street
    Comes stealing; comes creeping;
    26 lines
  • "Booh!"
    On afternoons, when baby boy has had a splendid nap,
    And sits, like any monarch on his throne, in nurse's lap,
    20 lines, 2 comments
  • The Cunnin' Little Thing
    When baby wakes of mornings,
    Then it's wake, ye people all!
    28 lines, 1 comment
  • Garden And Cradle
    When our babe he goeth walking in his garden,
    Around his tinkling feet the sunbeams play;
    16 lines, 1 comment
  • The Shut-Eye Train
    Come, my little one, with me!
    There are wondrous sights to see
    53 lines
  • The Night Wind
    Have you ever heard the wind go "Yooooo"?
    'T is a pitiful sound to hear!
    46 lines, 4 comments
  • Lady Button-Eyes
    When the busy day is done,
    And my weary little one
    50 lines
  • Kissing time
    'T is when the lark goes soaring
    And the bee is at the bud,
    32 lines
  • When I Was A Boy
    Up in the attic where I slept
    When I was a boy, a little boy,
    28 lines
  • Jest 'Fore Christmas
    Father calls me William, sister calls me Will,
    Mother calls me Willie, but the fellers call me Bill!
    43 lines
  • Fiddle-Dee-Dee
    There once was a bird that lived up in a tree,
    And all he could whistle was \
    31 lines, 1 comment
  • Beard And Baby
    I say, as one who never feared
    The wrath of a subscriber's bullet,
    33 lines, 2 comments
  • The Brook
    I looked in the brook and saw a face -
    Heigh-ho, but a child was I!
    23 lines
  • The Drum
    I'm a beautiful red, red drum,
    And I train with the soldier boys;
    50 lines
  • The Fly-Away Horse
    Oh, a wonderful horse is the Fly-Away Horse -
    Perhaps you have seen him before;
    59 lines
  • The Dead Babe
    Last night, as my dear babe lay dead,
    In agony I knelt and said:
    33 lines
  • Little All-Aloney
    Little All-Aloney's feet
    Pitter-patter in the hall,
    42 lines
  • The Happy Household
    It's when the birds go piping and the daylight slowly breaks,
    That, clamoring for his dinner, our precious baby wakes;
    38 lines
  • Inscription For My Little Son's Silver Plate
    When thou dost eat from off this plate,
    I charge thee be thou temperate;
    10 lines
  • So, so, rock-a-by so!
    So, so, rock-a-by so!
    Off to the garden where dreamikins grow;
    27 lines
  • The Humming Top
    The top it hummeth a sweet, sweet song
    To my dear little boy at play -
    31 lines, 1 comment
  • The Song Of Luddy-Dud
    A sunbeam comes a-creeping
    Into my dear one's nest,
    20 lines
  • The Ride To Bumpville
    Play that my knee was a calico mare
    Saddled and bridled for Bumpville;
    43 lines
  • The Duel (The Gingham Dog And The Calico Cat)
    The gingham dog and the calico cat
    Side by side on the table sat;
    38 lines
  • Picnic-time
    It's June ag'in, an' in my soul I feel the fillin' joy
    That's sure to come this time o' year to every little boy;
    24 lines
  • Good-Children Street
    There's a dear little home in Good-Children street -
    My heart turneth fondly to-day
    42 lines
  • Little-Oh Dear
    See, what a wonderful garden is here,
    Planted and trimmed for my Little-Oh-Dear!
    26 lines
  • The Delectable Ballad Of The Waller Lot
    Up yonder in Buena Park
    There is a famous spot,
    178 lines
  • Swing high and swing low
    Swing high and swing low
    While the breezes they blow -
    22 lines
  • The Stork
    Last night the Stork came stalking,
    And, Stork, beneath your wing
    34 lines
  • At Play
    Play that you are mother dear,
    And play that papa is your beau;
    31 lines
  • The Bottle Tree
    A bottle tree bloometh in Winkyway land -
    Heigh-ho for a bottle, I say!
    24 lines
  • Seein' things
    I ain't afeard uv snakes, or toads, or bugs, or worms, or mice,
    An' things 'at girls are skeered uv I think are awful nice!
    30 lines
  • Googly-Goo
    Of mornings, bright and early,
    When the lark is on the wing
    52 lines
  • The Doll's Wooing
    The little French doll was a dear little doll
    Tricked out in the sweetest of dresses;
    38 lines
  • The Bench-Legged Fyce
    Speakin' of dorgs, my bench-legged fyce
    Hed most o' the virtues, an' nary a vice.
    48 lines
  • Fisherman Jim's Kids
    Fisherman Jim lived on the hill
    With his bonnie wife an' his little boys;
    54 lines
  • Little Miss Brag
    Little Miss Brag has much to say
    To the rich little lady from over the way
    42 lines
  • Over the hills and far away
    Over the hills and far away,
    A little boy steals from his morning play
    27 lines
1 - 39 of 39

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