9aSaKltiHB89BB8Bn^ Mi *««.- :! ^n- y &, Co *? /I \ THIS BOOK IS PRESENTED BY tAutWTf W^mWNALLYm. Company School 536 SOUTH CLARK STREET CHICAGO TO THE LIBRARY OF Unjvers FOR REFERENCE USE OF INSTRUCTORS AND STUDENTS. SINGLE COPIES WILL BE SENT TO YOUR ADDRESS POSTPA1DON RECEIPT OF PRICE $ Special prices on library orders. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill http://archive.org/details/littlerhymesforlOOseeg • \ gltUeRhymes f^t Little Readers WilhelminaSeegmiller Illustrated ByuK4iC* Ruth Mary Hal lock Ra.nd, M c Nally and Company Chicago-NewYork-London Copyright, IQ03, By Wiihelmina Seegmiller Copyright, IQIO, By Wiihelmina SeegnnUer ®he £laitb-^tcltaUn Vve&a Chicago D-21 HOW far reaching are the changes that have been making and are making in educational development! Surely "The thoughts of men are widened with the progress of the suns." Once upon a time the single leaf was a popular drawing model in the drawing lesson planned for little children. With attention concentrated on veins and venation, great were the difficulties of elimination required for artistic rendering. Next followed the at that time-astonishing realization, that it was a more simple matter to draw a twig with a number of leaves in relation. In the natural course of events came the understanding that a tree was not beyond the limit of possibility of a child's comprehension and expression. At last came the study of the tree in its environment, with the beautiful sky above, the good ground beneath, the comradeship of other trees near and far, and the appreciation of the season's atmosphere, the joyousness of spring, the full verdure of summer, the glory of autumn or the enchanting whiteness of winter, to give artistic impu 1 se to expression. So to-day the first painting lesson in a primary school is the season's landscape — the nature whole. The History of Drawing in education finds its parallel in the History of Reading. Introduction In the days of the chalk mark on the floor, when it was con- sidered of great importance that a child actively or subconsciously keep under consideration his very exact location on terra firma, the letter chart was hung before a class and there were weary hours of learning to distinguish characters, the only really interesting one of which, perhaps, was "O." The progress from the letter method to the word method, from "A" and "X" to "cat" and "rat," was truly beneficent. "Cat" and "rat" were not only more generous to the eye, but carried a suggestiveness pleasing to the mind. The next step onward was the presentation of the sentence, a great advance surely, and one that meant much increase of joy to little children. Now at last behold us with our presentation of the lesson whole. In drawing, we rounded the circle — leaf, branch, tree, landscape, and are at the ending, which is also the beginning. In reading, we have rounded the circle also — letter, word, sentence, literary unit, and are at the ending, which forms the logical beginning. The past few years have seen a great increase of rhyme in the matter provided for children's reading. Some of the chief reasons for the increase in favor of the rhyme are the assistance of rhyme and rhythm in the presentations of lesson wholes, and also the directness of expression made possible by the form of versification. These reasons are second onlv in importance to one other, the delight of children in "lines that rhyming go" and the recogni- tion of joy as a great creative force. That this little book of rhyming memories of a happy child- hood may find an echo in the hearts of little children and add a little to their happiness in the acquiring of that greatest of all arts destined to create for them again and yet again a new heaven and a new earth — the Art of Reading — is the hope of the author. • ' W. S. v i Introduction A Good Appetite See Saw On the Beach A Long Road A Spider Web In a Minute Summer Time Unequal - Nine Little Kittens An Anniversary Tales - Dreams Go6d-bye What I Like A Polka Dot Dress Where We Get Our Bread Old Tales Retold Great Man - / - The Bird's Song Seven Little Ghicks - Prayers - - - - •Page 5 n 12 32 33 34 The Contents Page Mornings ------------ 3 - A Circus ------------ 3- A Mistake ------------ 38 To London Town __________ 39 Cookies - - - - - _______ 40 Hush! Hush! Hush! - - - - - - - - - 41 Early in the Morning --_______ 42 forgetfulness -----------44 Six o'Clock ___________ 45 A Bonnet --------- .--46 Ten Fingers ----------- 47 A Wise Man ----------- 4 8 In the Rail-fence Corners -------- 50 Daisy, Daisy _■__•___-____ 51 Don't You? ----------- 52 A Recipe ------------53 All the Year Round ---------54 Dolly Styles - ■_ " __-_-_--- 56 The Vanishing Point .__•-_____ 57 After Tea ------------58 Lady Bug ------------ 59 A Rough Voyage __________ 6i The New Doll -----------62 The Old Doll -----------63 Pictures ------------64 Tell Me, Little Paper Cat! -------- 66 Reflections -----------67 One Day ------------69 Taking Stock ----------- 70 Little Star ----------- 71 Where Do the Whitecaps Go? ------- 73 Why? ------------- 74 I Like to Grow Both Good and Wise ------ 75 Some Day ------------76 Justice ------------ 77 Where Away? -----------79 A Conundrum ----------- So Queries ------------ Si If ------------- s 2 A Word to Teachers ______--- 85 fe* 10 T HAVE a whole menagerie, My grandma bought for me, And when I'm very hungry, I'll eat them for my tea. And first/ I'll eat the elephant, he tiger and the hare, A^d next the hippopotamus, And then the grizzly bear. And if I'm hungry still I'll try The taste of cracker Q-oose, Of zebra, camel, fox, and lynx, Of buffalo and moose. The rabbit, cat, and dog, and pig, And horse I'll put away; Yes, these domestic animals I'll eat some other day. \ ii 12 OnT f 5 £±_J' o ,NE, two, three, four, five, I'm -just -as -sure -as- I'm -alive, I saw five crabs all backward run, While I was sitting in the sun. m vv» !3 -fj BESSSC te^ HIS road that goes right by our door Keeps on a hundred miles or more. Sometimes it's just a country trail, And there's a squirrel on the rail. Sometimes it's made of silver sand, And lined with trees on either hand. 14 And then it's paved like city street, Where all the housetops almost meet; And men and boys and carts and drays Keep filling up the city's ways. Sometimes a river you will see, And then a field and acorn tree; And there are troughs where horses stop, And laughing waters tinkling drop, And apple ca» .s aW loads of hay, And barefoot boys/ -and girls at play< Some day when I'm a "great big man, F 11 hitch the wagon to old Fan, And take the road right by our door, - And ride a hundred miles or more. A FILMY web a spicier spun, What fun ! On a morning-glory vine, How fine ! From flower to flower he'd fling A silken string, And tie it taut and tight, Just right. Back and forth I saw him go, To and fro, Up and downward in the sun Run and run, Till the pretty house was done, All spun. >i6 rH t^ IN A MINUTE I B iABY, dear baby, come in from the yard, The clock in the steeple strikes two; You said, "In a minute," and now it ^51 is ten, And mother is waiting for you. h \ T" 7 " 17 IGH up the old gray garden wall, The morning-glories climb, To kiss the stately holly- hocks, All in the summer time. 18 A BOY has thirteen pockets, *- A little girl has none: I think I'd like to be a boy, 'Twould be just lots of fun ! io iNine Little Kittens N^INE little kittens on the garden gate; One heard a dog bark, then there were eight. Eight little kittens looking up to heaven ; One felt some raindrops, then there were seven. Seven little kittens playing funny tricks; One lost his balance, then there were six. w->> Six little kittens, my sakes alive ! One saw a robin, then there were five. [r^r Five little kittens — Johnny slammed the door, Hollered "Scat!" and then, I guess, there were only four. Four little kittens climbing- up a tree; One got up and left the rest, then there were three. Three little kittens said, "Mew! mew! mew!" One fell asleep, then there were two. > « *-.- »- . Two little kittens sitting in the sun ; Both saw the milkman, then there were none. 21 izz ! bang! whizz! Don't you know what day this is ? Fizz! bang! whizz! pop! Hurrah for the Fourth ! and hippity-hop! /^AUR Betsy Ann she tells us tales V-/ Of dreadful, dreadful things, A dog with eyes like saucers, And a cat that flies on wines ; A dragon fierce and fiery, And a fearful octopus — And when we get just scared to death, Then Betsy laughs at us ! 23 24 Good Bye aaaggg G OOD-BYE, good-bye to summer, The leaves are tumbling down ; There's not a wren or robin In any tree in town. The hazelnuts are gathered And stored away to dry, You cannot find a bee now Nor any butterfly. The mornings all are misty, The flowers are curled and cold, The earth looks brown and . wrinkled - I guess it's growing old! V# 26 To climb into the lighthouse high, And see the ships go sailing by. I like to feel the strong salt breeze, To hear it rustle in the trees ; I like the nets spread in the sun, I like the night when day is done. Just what I like I cannot tell, Because I like it all so well. 27 I . — .».... m. APoItanDot Dress T WONDER if the tall giraffe Gets tired of wear- ing spots ; I shouldn't think he'd always like To dress in polka dots ! 28 HT^HE farmer reaps the golden wheat, The baker makes the bread to eat, And mother spreads the slices thick, And then we eat 'em very quick ! 29 A S I was going to St. Ives, Upon a summer day, I met a man with seven wives — I passed him on the way. Every wife had seven cats, Each cat had kittens, too ; For full a mile I'm sure I heard Those cats and kittens meow. r THINK I'll be a president, An emperor or king; I'll run a train or sail a boat, Or do some finer thing. I haven't quite made up my mind Just which of these I'll be, And if papa should ask me, I'd say: "You wait and see!" * 3i L The Bird's Song© ^piIERE was a little robin Sat singing in a tree ; From early morn till dark he sang, 'The world was made for me ! " SEVEN little chicks go Peep ! peep ! peep ! Hunting where the grasses grow, Deep, deep, deep. Then the mother hen calls, Cluck ! cluck ! cluck ! Wishing every little chick Luck, luck, luck. 53 I" N early morn when I awake, I say, "As through the da)- I take My way, dear Lord, O watch and keep A little child till time to sleep." And then at night when prayers are said When sleepy children go to bed, I say, "Dear Lord, guard me all night, Until the dawn of morning light." 34 *M£ I HAVE such drowsy, drowsy eyes, -*■ I'm sure I'd never, never rise, If mamma dear should go away; — I'd sleep, and sleep, and sleep all day. But in the morning, with a kiss, She wakes me up like this and this ! And opens wide each eyelid door, So I'm not sleepy any more. ^ 36 WE played to-day at circus, Our tent was in the shed; With meat and milk and sugar, The animals we fed. Our Maltese was the tiger, Her stripes were made of paint; She clawed and scratched and snarled so, She made a lady faint. Old Towser was a gray wolf, We put him in a cage; He didn't seem to like it, For he howled and howled with rage. Our ugly boa constrictors Were monster worms, you know ; They wiggled, squirmed, and twisted, Like those in Barnum's show. The first price of admission Was two pins and a cent; And then we made it two pins, — Because nobody went. And while we ate our dinners, The animals got out; I guess our papa helped them, — We saw his tracks about ! 37 OH, boys must early go to bed, And they must early rise, For then they'll always health}' be, And wealthy too, and wise. I wish the proverb man had said They shouldn't go till late, And in the mornings they could sleep Till quarter after eight. 38 /^"ANE foot up, 'the other foot down, That is the way to London town Unless you ride in a coach and pair, Or travel along in a Sedan chair. 39 Cookies /^vF all the cookies mother ^— * makes, The kind I like the best Is hollowed in the middle, like A little birdie's nest. And in the cookies' center go Egg candies, one, two, three ! Oh, that's the nicest kind of cake For little boys like me ! 40 I ! f ERE we sit in our rocking-chairs *~ ■* And rock. And rock, And rock ; Here we sit in our rocking-chairs And watch the cuckoo clock. Hush! hush! Hush! hush! For now 'tis nearly noon ! Hush! hush! Hush! hush! The cuckoo is coming soon 4i I SAW a sign, "Keep off the grass, Off the grass, off the grass," I saw a sign, "Keep off the grass," Early in the morning. But the birds they didn't care, Didn't care, didn't care, But the birds they didn't care, Early in the morning. And the dogs they ran about, Ran about, ran about, And the dogs they ran about, Early in the morning. 42 So I said, "I won't keep off, Won't keep off, won't keep off," So I said, "I won't keep off,'' Early in the morning. A big policeman came my way, Came my way, came my way, A big policeman came my way, Early in the morning. I think it best to mind a rule, Mind a rule, mind a rule, I think it best to mind a rule, Early in the morning. 43 npWLNKLE, twinkle, little star, I don't wonder what you are, 'Cause my mamma told me when All the sun is gone — why, then — I don't 'member what she said, — And I guess it's time for bed. 44 FT'S six o'clock, It's six o'clock ; I've wakened up too soon, I've caught the twinkling stars awake, And there's the silver moon ! %i !i 45 jT'VE a cunning little bonnet, With a wreath of flowers on it, First a rose and then a poppy, Then a poppy and a rose. When I dress my doll up in it, Tie the strings in front and pin it, She's as fine as any poppy, She's as sweet as any rose. .C-.„f~UH.->~t ■■■TSJ^J.CTr.^ U..I IHI ITHIHIH" mi n »' - ^■ MWMab **^^BU|£^Mfl. ^m IL fcS14 |JB^7 * f LJi "~~—'r- — lU - r: ^ij* J-wjgfc^ IK ^Y^r" HV^^^RI^^K^i jr&Kfr'" 1 '* — ""*??"' c^ ■ ft^^K. ' 3gs »PH fP ^7 68 ^ANE day I went walking, And what did I see? A butterfly chasing A bis: bumblebee When tired of tagging, They played hide and seek, And like little children, Played peek-a-boo, peek! 6q Taking Stock A /TY pocket's pretty full to-night, Here's string enough to fly a kite, A top that brother gave to me, A whistle from the willow tree, A knife with blades all whole but one, A hickory nut, a rubber gun, A jewsharp and a covered ball, Some ginger cake, and — / guess that's all ! 70 T ITTLE star, little star, Shining in the sky afar, First star of all the night, First to show your little light, Tell me why you come so soon ; Where's the silver lady moon? Tell me, too, dear little star, Where your thousand brothers are. 71 '■'- ■<■- '"'■■-.. ' ■£■ '%.--■ T SEE the whitecapped waves at play On sandy shores from day to day, When winds blow loud and full of glee Across the salt and shining sea. But when the winds are whispering low, I wonder where the whitecaps go? Have they, perhaps, a slumberland Upon some far and gleaming strand? And are the soft and sleepy sighs We sometimes hear, their lullabies? On days like this when the winds lie low, I wonder where the whitecaps go? * 73 Why? SpHE fishes like the wet, The birdies like the dry; Why all these things are thus and so, I prithee tell me why ! jfl&ggSv. 74 I Like to Grow Both • Good and Wise I LIKE to grow both good and wise, I like small cakes and saucer pies ; I like big buns with raisins thick, I like to have things when I'm ;ick. 75 *6 r N foreign lands the jungle bears ■*■ Eat little boys, 'tis said, But here the boys eat little bears- From candy tail to head ! 77 /^^\H, where away, oh, where away Have gone the days of Summer? There's not a head of clover now, And scarce a lazy hummer. Oh, where away, oh, where away Has gone the Summer's glory? The purple aster stands alone, And the fields with frost are hoary. Oh, where away, oh, where away Have gone the wren and kildee? Their nests hang empty in the hedge — In ash and elm and fir tree. So silently did Autumn's train Sweep o'er the paths of Summer, I heeded not her parting steps, Nor greeted the newcomer. 79 H OW do the sparrows warm their toes In the frosty air? When starry snow comes tumbling, Do all the snowbirds care? Where do all the flowers go When snow is on the hills? What do all the fishes do In the icy rills? T F I knew a story A story I'd tell — I just can't remember The things that befell The prince and the princess Who live in the books, The ladies in waiting, The clowns and the cooks. 82 S3 mr^- THE Land of Poesy is a land of delight in which children are happy to wander. Into this land the mothers lead the way. Do not all mothers sing lullabies to restless babies? They play 'Pat-a-Cake," "Dance to your Daddie," and "Ride a Cock Horse," responding over and over to the children's "Again!" The cares of the world, or blindness to the charm of the spread- ing paths, make many mothers too early cease their journeying, and blessed are the children whose teachers are travelers in this land and who say, "Come also." This little book has been prepared with the hope that it may be a welcome addition to the store of rhymes of childhood. The themes of the verses are experiences universal in their appeal. They tell of games that children love to play; of relationship Purpose °f father, mother, sister, and brother; of companion- of the ship with dogs, cats, birds, bees, butterflies, and flowers ; Book Q f changing seasons ; of day and night. Some are touched with fun; others lead into the realm of fancy; all are simple. Each story told in verse is told also in picture. 85 A Word to Teachers This book may be used for supplementary reading in any one of the first three primary grades. The little folks of the first year may read it with their teachers after the manner in which children The Use rea d story books with their mothers. The children can of the read the pictures and also read into the pictures. As the Book teacher reads the rhymes they will catch the rhythm. Each child can run a pointing finger along the line as the teacher reads. Some of the words will separate themselves, grow familiar, and become a part of the child's vocabulary. In the second grade the children can read the rhymes with more readiness, and all the words of the rhymes should become familiar to them. For third-grade children the rhymes will be easy reading. Teachers will be able to employ many means of adding interest and enjoyment to the reading of the rhymes. Children enjoy sing- ing rhymes. There are old-time melodies that lend themselves Music to the singing of some of the rhymes. The air of "Here for the We Go Round the Bramble Bush" will answer for Rhymes "Early in the Morning." With a slight transposition "Mornings," "Cookies," "Where We Get Our Bread," and "Ten Fingers," will also suit the same air. TEN FINGERS Ten fingers make a water trough, A water trough, a water trough, Ten fingers make a water trough Where little calves come drinking. Then they make ten pretty trees, Ten pretty trees, ten pretty trees, Then they make ten pretty trees, And then a fence I'm thinking 1 . A Word to Teachers The children will be happy to make illustrations for the parts of the stories not illustrated. They would also like to make story pictures for what "happened next." For "Some Day" the illus- trator has made a picture showing the little girl who x "?" went walking. Children might make a picture to show tration & & . r the old man who went walking. For "See Saw" they might show when the other end of the teeter goes up. For "On the Beach" they might draw other things beside crabs that the little girl saw by the seashore. "A Long Road" suggests a great many pictures. There are two pictures missing in "Where We Get Our Bread." Pictures might tell what the little girls in "Hush! Hush! Hush!" did after the cuckoo came, and what the baby in "In a Minute" did when she went to her mamma. The spider web might be drawn with rhythmic motion as the children repeated "A Spider Web." The spider web lines should keep time to the beats of the measure of the rhyme. Very few and simple stage properties would be needed to play many of the rhymes. The children and teacher could easily provide for "Dolly Styles," "A Recipe," "Don't You?," and others. Rhymes like "To London Town" and . . "Unequal" require no properties. For "Lady Bug" the imagination can supply the lady bug. The acting of the rhymes will be a great help in obtaining good expression in the reading. 89 I >:i w sPHfl "R-n-H-