NIGHTFALL IN DORDRECHT

HE mill goes toiling slowly around

THE

With steady and solemn creak,

And my little one hears in the kindly sound

The voice of the old mill speak.

While round and round those big white wings Grimly and ghostlike creep,

My little one hears that the old mill sings: "Sleep, little tulip, sleep!"

The sails are reefed and the nets are drawn, And, over his pot of beer,

The fisher, against the morrow's dawn,

Lustily maketh cheer;

He mocks at the winds that caper along

From the far-off clamorous deep

But we we love their lullaby song
Of "Sleep, little tulip, sleep!"

NIGHTFALL IN DORDRECHT

Old dog Fritz in slumber sound

Groans of the stony mart

To-morrow how proudly he 'll trot you round,
Hitched to our new milk-cart!

And you shall help me blanket the kine
And fold the gentle sheep

And set the herring a-soak in brine-
But now, little tulip, sleep!

A Dream-One comes to button the eyes
That wearily droop and blink,

While the old mill buffets the frowning skies
And scolds at the stars that wink;

Over your face the misty wings

Of that beautiful Dream-One sweep,

And rocking your cradle she softly sings: "Sleep, little tulip, sleep!"

INTRY-MINTRY

JILLIE and Bess, Georgie and May-
Once, as these children were hard at play,
An old man, hoary and tottering, came
And watched them playing their pretty game.
He seemed to wonder, while standing there,
What the meaning thereof could be-
Aha, but the old man yearned to share
Of the little children's innocent glee

As they circled around with laugh and shout
And told their rime at counting out:
"Intry-mintry, cutrey-corn,
Apple-seed and apple-thorn;
Wire, brier, limber, lock,

Twelve geese in a flock;

Some flew east, some flew west,

Some flew over the cuckoo's nest!"

INTRY-MINTRY

Willie and Bess, Georgie and May-
Ah, the mirth of that summer-day!

13

'T was Father Time who had come to share The innocent joy of those children there;

He learned betimes the game they played

And into their sport with them went heHow could the children have been afraid,

Since little they recked whom he might be? They laughed to hear old Father Time Mumbling that curious nonsense rime Of "Intry-mintry, cutrey-corn, Apple-seed and apple-thorn; Wire, brier, limber, lock,

Twelve geese in a flock;

Some flew east, some flew west,
Some flew over the cuckoo's nest!"

Willie and Bess, Georgie and May,
And joy of summer-where are they?
The grim old man still standeth near
Crooning the song of a far-off year;

14

INTRY-MINTRY

And into the winter I come alone,

Cheered by that mournful requiem, Soothed by the dolorous monotone

That shall count me off as it counted

them

The solemn voice of old Father Time

Chanting the homely nursery rime

He learned of the children a summer morn
When, with "apple-seed and apple-thorn,"
Life was full of the dulcet cheer

That bringeth the grace of heaven anear—
The sound of the little ones hard at play—
Willie and Bess, Georgie and May.