Cole's Funny Picture Book No. 1
Your hair uncomb'd,
Your frock in tatters too;
I'm now resolv'd
No more delays to grant,
This day I'll send you
To your stern old aunt."
In vain Matilda wept,
Repented, pray'd,
In vain a promise
Of amendment made.
Arriv'd at Austere Hall,
Matilda sigh'd.
By Lady Rigid,
When severely eyed.
"You read, and write,
And work well, as I'm told,
Are gentle, kind, good-natur'd,
Far from bold.
But very careless,
Negligent, and wild--
When you leave me,
You'll be a different child."
The little girl
Next morn a favour asks:
"I wish to take a walk,"
"Go learn your tasks,"
The lady harsh replies,
"Nor cry nor whine.
Your room you leave not
Till you're call'd to dine."
As thus Matilda sat,
O'erwhelm'd with shame,
A dame appear'd,
Disorder was her name.
Her hair and dress neglected,
Soil'd her face,
She squinted leer'd,
And hobbled in her pace.
"Here, child," she said,
"My mistress sends you this,
A bag of silks--
A flow'r not work'd amiss--
A polyanthus bright,
And wondrous gay;
You'll copy it by noon,
She bade me say."
Disorder grinn'd,
Then shuffling walk'd away.
Entangled were
The silks of every hue,
Confus'd and mix'd
Were shades of pink, green, blue;
She took a thread,
Compar'd it with the flow'r;
"To finish this is
Not within my pow'r.
Well-order'd silks
Had Lady Rigid sent,
I might have work'd,
If such was her intent."
She sigh'd, and melted
Into sobs and tears,
She hears a noise
And at the door appears
A pretty maiden, clean,
Well-dress'd, and neat
Her voice was soft,
Her looks sedate, yet sweet.
"My name is Order,
Do not cry my love;
Attend to me,
And thus you may improve."
She took the silks,
And drew out shade for shade,
In sep'rate skeins,
Each hue with care she laid;
Then smiling kindly,
Left the little maid.
Matilda now resumed
Her sweet employ,
And sees the flow'r complete--
How great her joy.
She leaves the room,
"I've done my task," she cries.
But soon her harshness
The lady look'd
With disbelieving eyes,
Chang'd to glad surprise.
"Why this is well!
A very pretty flow'r,
Work'd clean, exact,
And done within the hour!
And now amuse yourself,
Ride, walk or play."
Thus passed Matilda
This much-dreaded day.
At all her tasks
Disorder would attend
At all her tasks
Still Order stood her friend.
With tears and sighs
Her studies oft began,
These into smiles
Were changed by Order's plan;
No longer Lady Rigid
Seem'd severe,
Her looks the negligent
Alone need fear.
And when the day
The wish'd-for day is come
When young Matilda's
Suffer'd to go home:
"You quit me, child,
But oft to mind recall
The time you spent
With me at Austere Hall.
And now, my dear,
I'll give you one of these,
Your servant she will be;
Take which you please."
"From me," Disorder asked,
"Old friend, why start?"
Matilda clasped
Sweet Order to her heart.
"My dearest girl," she cried,
"We'll never part."
[Page 21--Girl Land]
Forty Little School Girls
Forty little school girls, running, but not flirty;
Ten ran into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but thirty.
Thirty little school girls swimming the river Plenty;
Ten swam into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but twenty.
Twenty little school girls jumping in velveteen;
One jumped into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were nineteen.
Nineteen little school girls going out a-skating;
One skated into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but eighteen.
Eighteen little school girls dancing with the queen;
One danced into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were seventeen.
Seventeen little school girls driving a bullock team;
One drove into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were sixteen.
Sixteen little school girls creeping out unseen;
One crept into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were fifteen.
Fifteen little school girls hopping on the green;
One hopped into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were fourteen.
Fourteen little schoolgirls floating down a stream;
One floated into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were thirteen.
Thirteen little school girls leaping out to delve;
One leaped into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but twelve.
Twelve little school girls racing out for leaven;
One raced into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were eleven.
Eleven little school girls dodging a lion when--
One dodged into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but ten.
Ten little school girls, all skipping in a line;
One skipped into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but nine.
Nine little school girls swinging on a gate;
One swung into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but eight.
Eight little school girls, trying to fly to heaven;
One flew into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but seven.
Seven little school girls tripping out for sticks;
One tripped into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but six.
Six little school girls, going for a dive;
One dived into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but five.
Five little school girls, sailing to explore;
One sailed into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but four.
Four little school girls steaming on the sea;
One steamed into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but three.
Three little school girls, riding on a moo;
One rode into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there were but two.
Two little school girls, sliding about for fun;
One slid into Cole's Book Arcade,
And then there was but one.
One little school girl, the nicest, last and best,
She walked into Cole's Book Arcade,
And read books with all the rest.
The following is the way that each girl went into Cole's Book Arcade:
Ada ran into it.
Agnes ran into it.
Alice ran into it.
Amy ran into it.
Annie ran into it.
Angelina ran into it.
Bessie ran into it.
Bridget ran into it.
Carrie ran into it.
Clara ran into it.
Edith swam into it.
Eliza swam into it.
Emily swam into it.
Emma swam into it.
Fanny swam into it.
Florence swam into it.
Hannah swam into it.
Harriet swam into it.
Jane swam into it.
Jessie swam into it.
Kate jumped into it.
Lillie skated into it.
Lizzie danced into it.
Lottie drove into it.
Louisa crept into it.
Lucy hopped into it.
Mary floated into it.
Martha leaped into it.
Matilda raced into it.
Maggie dodged into it.
Maria skipped into it.
Mabel swung into it.
Maude flew into it.
May tripped into it.
Minnie dived into it.
Nellie sailed into it.
Olive Steamed into it.
Rose rode into it.
Sarah slid into it.
Tottie walked into it.
N.B.--Any little girl is invited to walk, run, jump, dance, skip,
hop, swim, fly, or come into Cole's Book Arcade in any way she
chooses, the same as the Forty Little School Girls.
Story Of The Funny Monkeys
Once there was a funny old monkey--and this old monkey had six young
monkeys. There was one white monkey, and one black monkey, and one
yellow monkey, and one red monkey, and one blue monkey, and one green
monkey; and the white monkey's name was Linda, and the black monkey's
name was Eddie, and the yellow monkey's name was Vally, and the red
monkey's name was Ruby, and the blue monkey's name was Pearl, and the
green Monkey's name was Ivy Diamond. And the white monkey liked
apples, and the black monkey liked grapes, and the yellow monkey
liked cherries, and the red monkey liked strawberries, and the blue
monkey liked oranges, and the green monkey liked nuts, and that's all
about these FUNNY MONKEYS. The names of any children can be told in
this story instead of Linda, Eddie, Vally, Ruby, Pearl, and Diamond.
[Page 22--Girl Land]
Tangle Pate
There was a girl, named tanglepate,
She lived--I won't say where--
Who was not willing any one
Should comb or curl her hair.
She cried and made a dreadful fuss,
At morning, noon, or night,
And did not seem at all ashamed
Of looking like a fright.
Her hair stood out around her head
Just like a lion's mane,
And she was scolded, coaxed, and teased
About it--but in vain.
It caught on buttons, hooks, and boughs
As here and there she rushed,
And yet she would not consent
To have it combed or brushed.
And so she fell asleep one day
Within the woods, and there
Two birdies came and built a nest
Amid her tangled hair.
A Careless Girl
I know a very careless girl,
Her hair is always out of curl,
In rags and tatters are her clothes,
And she's a fright, you may suppose.
Her skirts she catches on a nail,
And leaves behind and ugly trail;
Her sashes always are untied,
Her dresses always gaping wide.
'Tis her delight to tear and rend,
She does not like to patch or mend,
And 'tis no wonder that she goes
So out at elbows and at toes.
Naughty Girl
The naughty girl
Never minds mamma,
Always says, "I won't!"
To dear papa!
Makes a great deal of noise
About the house.
When her mother wants her
As still as a mouse.
She pinches the cat,
She pulls her tail;
And takes the bird-cage
Down from the nail;
Teases her brothers,
And spoils her hair,
And reproved says,
"I don't care!"
She worries poor grandma,
Makes baby cry;
She cannot please him,
And I know why:--
She lets him lie
In the crib and moan,
While she is amusing
Herself alone.
At school she forgets
What the teacher said,
Sits idly leaning her hands
On her head;
She never learns
The task that's given,
And cannot tell even
Seven times seven.
At table she's careless,
And spills her drink,
Can never be taught
To "stop and think;"
Gets down from the table
And goes to play,
To do the same over
Another day.
Mopy Maria
Mopy Maria
Would sit by the fire,
It seemed to be
Her greatest desire;
Bent and bowed
As if wrapped in a shroud,
And her face as black
As a thunder-cloud.
She filled the room
So full of gloom,
The place was as
Dismal as a tomb;
And few would admire
Her, or desire
To spend much time
With Mopy Maria,
She moped and pined
Yet no-one could find
That any trouble
Disturbed her mind;
Nor reasons good
Why she should brood
An such a
Ridiculous attitude.
It wasn't her style
To laugh and smile
She didn't think
It was worth her while;
So dull and flat
She daily sat
Like a Chinese idol,
Or worse than that,
If the children came
To propose a game
Of any sort,
It was all the same;
She wouldn't play,
She wouldn't be gay,
But sat and pouted
The livelong day.
Her face grew thin;
And at length her chin
Grew long and sharp;
Oh! as sharp as a pin!
And one windy day
She blew away
Like a great big kite
That had gone astray.
The winds were high,
And she had to fly
Away at their bidding;
It made her cry;
But she couldn't get higher
Than the tall church spire,
So there she stuck--
Poor Mopy Maria!
Disobedient May
Naughty May will not obey,
But will always have her way
Every moment of the day.