Cole's Funny Picture Book No. 1
Of the heart-break in the brede;
A hyena by her side
Skulks, down-looking--it is Pride.
J. R. Lowell
Foolish Fanny
Oh! Fanny was so vain a lass,
If she came near a looking-glass,
She'd stop right there for many a minute
To see how pretty she looked in it.
She'd stand and prink, and fix her hair
Around her forehead with great care;
And take some time to tie a bow
That must, to please her, lie just so.
Her mother's bonnet she'd put on,
And all her richest dresses don,
And up and down the room parade,
And much enjoy her promenade.
She always liked to wear the best
She had, and being so much dress'd
Could not enjoy the romps with those
Who wore much less expensive clothes.
Each day she grew so fond of dress
It gave her great unhappiness
If every day, and all the while,
She wasn't in the latest style.
If asked to turn the jumping-rope
Her pretty parasol she'd ope,
Lest she should freckle in the sun:
And that was her idea of fun!
She didn't dare to take the cat
Or poodle-dog from off the mat,
Lest they should catch their little toes
In laces, frills, or furbelows.
The very things that gave her joy,
Her peace and comfort would destroy,
For oft an ugly nail would tear
The costly dress she chose to wear.
The foolish girl turned up her nose
At those who dressed in plainer clothes,
And lived in quiet style, for she
With wealthy people chose to be
She never was the least inclined
With knowledge to enrich her mind;
And all the mental food she ate
Was served upon a fashion-plate.
As this was so, you'll see at once
That Fan grew up a silly dunce:
An there was nothing to admire
About her, but her fine attire.
[Page 63--Pride Land]
Pride
Come, come, Mr. Peacock,
You must not be so proud,
Although you can boast such a train,
For there's many a bird
Far more highly endowed,
And not half so conceited and vain.
Let me tell you, gay bird,
That a suit of fine clothes
Is a sorry distinction at most,
And seldom much valued
Excepting by those
Who only such graces can boast.
The nightingale certainly
Wears a plain coat,
But she cheers and delights with her song;
While you, though so vain,
Cannot utter a note
To please by the use of your tongue.
The hawk cannot boast
Of a plumage so gay,
But more piercing and clear is her eye;
And while you are strutting
About all the day,
She gallantly soars in the sky.
The dove may be clad
In a plainer attire,
But she is not so selfish and cold;
And her love and affection
More pleasure inspire
Than all your fine purple and gold.
So, you see, Mr. Peacock,
You must not be proud,
Although you can boast such a train,
For many a bird
Is more highly endowed,
And not half so conceited and vain.
Sinful Pride
How proud we are, how fond to shew
Our clothes, and call them rich and new,
When the poor sheep and silkworm wore
That very clothing long before!
The tulip and butterfly
Appear in gayer coats than I;
Let me be dress'd as fine as I will,
Flies, worms, and flowers exceed me.
Dr. Watts
Finery
In a frock richly trimm'd
With a beautiful lace,
And hair nicely dress'd
Hanging over her face,
Thus deck'd, Harriet went
To the house of a friend,
With a large little party
The ev'ning to spend.
"Ah! how they will all
Be delighted, I guess,
And stare with surprise
At my elegant dress!"
Thus said the vain girl,
And her little heart beat,
Impatient the happy
Young party to meet.
But, alas! they were all
To intent on their fun,
To observe the gay clothes
This fine lady had on;
And thus all her trouble
Quite lost its design,
For they saw she was proud,
But forgot she was fine.
'Twas Lucy, tho' only
In simple white clad,
(Nor trimmings, nor laces,
Nor jewels she had,)
Whose cheerful good nature
Delighted them more,
Than all the fine garments
That Harriet wore.
'Tis better to have
A sweet smile on one's face,
Than to wear a rich frock
With an elegant lace,
For the good-natur'd girl
Is lov'd best in the main,
If her dress is but decent,
Tho' ever so plain.
T I
A Fop
A little cane,
A high-crowned hat,
A fixed impression,
Rather flat.
A pointed shoe,
A scanty coat,
A stand-up collar
Round his throat
A gorgeous necktie
Spreading wide,
A small moustache--
Nine on a side.
Arms at right angles,
Curved with ease,
A stilted walk
And shaky knees.
A languid drawl,
The "English" swing,
An air of knowing
Everything.
A vacant stare,
Extremely rude,
And there you have
The perfect dude.
Pride
Hark the rustle of a dress
Stiff with lavish costliness!
Here comes on whose cheek would flush
But to have her garment brush
'Gainst the girl whose fingers thin
Wove the weary 'broidery in,
Bending backward from her toil,
Lest her tears the silk might soil,
And in midnight's chill and murk,
Stitched her life into the work.
Shaping from her bitter thought,
Heart's-ease and forget-me-not,
Satirizing her despair
With the emblems woven there,
Little doth the wearer heed
Of the heart-break in the blede;
A hyena by her side
Skulks, down-looking--it is Pride.
J. R. Lowell
Vain Lizzie
It surely is not good to see,
Lizzie so full of vanity,
So fond of dress and show.
For when a fine new frock she wears,
She gives herself most silly airs,
Wherever she may go.
She thinks herself a charming girl;
But when folks see her twist and twirl,
They stop in every street,
They smile, or fairly laugh outright,
And say: "She's really quite a sight,
Was ever such conceit?"
[Page 64--Naughtiness Land]
Greedy Ned
Mamma gave our Nelly an apple,
So round, and big, and red;
It seemed, beside dainty wee Nelly,
To be almost as large as her head.
Beside her young Neddie was standing--
And Neddie loves apples, too,
"Ah! Nelly!" said Neddie, "give brother
A bite of your apple--ah! do!"
Dear Nelly held out the big apple;
Ned opened his mouth very wide--
So wide, that the startled red apple
Could almost have gone inside!
And oh! what a bite he gave it!
The apple looked small, I declare,
When Ned gave it back to his sister,
Leaving that big bite there.
Poor Nelly looked frightened a moment,
Then a thought made her face grow bright;
"Here, Ned, you can take the apple--
_I'd rather have the bite!_"
Eva L. Carson, In "St. Nicholas"
The Biggest Piece Of Pie
Once, when I was a little boy,
I sat me down to cry,
Because my little brother had
The biggest piece of pie.
They said I was a naughty boy,
But I have since seen men
Behave themselves as foolishly
As I behaved then.
For we are often thankless for
Rich blessings when we sigh,
To think some lucky neighbour has
A "bigger piece" of pie.
The Greedy, Impatient Girl
"Oh! I am so hungry,
I'm sure I can't wait,
For my apple-pudding to cool,
So, Mary, be quick now
And bring me a plate,
For waiting for dinner
I always did hate,
Tho' forced oft to do it at school.
"But at home, when mamma
Is not in the way,
I surely will do as I choose;
And I do not care for
What you please to say--
The pudding won't burn me--
No longer I'll stay.
What business have you to refuse?"
And now a large slice
Of the pudding she got,
And, fearful she should have no more,
She cramm'd her mouth full
Of the apple so hot,
Which had but a minute
Come out of the pot,
But quickly her triumph was o'er.
Her mouth and her tongue
Were so dreadfully sore,
And suffer'd such terrible pain,
Her pride and her consequence
Soon were all o'er,
And she said, now unable
To eat any more,
"Oh! I never will do so again!"
And thus, by not minding
What she had been told,
Young Ellinor lost all her treat;
Too greedy to wait
Till the pudding was cold,
By being impatient,
Conceited, and bold,
Not a mouthful at last could she eat.
C. Horwood.
A Story Of An Apple
Little Tommy, and Peter, and Archie, and Bob
Were walking, one day, when they found
An apple: 'twas mellow, and rosy, and red,
And lying alone on the ground.
Said Tommy: "I'll have it." Said peter: "'Tis mine."
Said Archie: "I've got it; so there!"
Said Bobby: "Now, let us divide it in four parts
And each of us boys have a share."
"No, no!" shouted Tommy, "I'll have it myself."
Said Peter: "I want it, I say."
Said Archie: "I've got it, and I'll have it all,
I won't give a morsel away."
Then Tommy he snatched it, and Peter he fought,
('Tis sad and distressing to tell!)
And Archie held on with his might and his main,
Till out from his fingers it fell.
Away from the quarrelsome urchins it flew
And then, down a green little hill
That apple it roll'd, and it roll'd, and it roll'd
As if it would never be still.
A lazy old brindle was nipping the grass,
And switching her tail at the flies,
When all of a sudden the apple rolled down
And stopped just in front of her eyes.
She gave but a bite and a swallow or two--
That apple was seen nevermore!
"I wish," whimpered Archie, and Peter, and Tom,
"We'd kept it and cut it in four."
Sydney Dyer
Greedy Richard
"I think I want some pies this morning"
Said Dick, stretching himself and yawning;
So down he threw his slate and books,
And saunter'd to the pastry-cook's.
And there he cast his greedy eyes
Round on the jellies and the pies,
So to select, with anxious care,
The very nicest that was there.
At last the point was thus decided:
As his opinion was divided
'Twixt pie and jelly, he was loth
Either to leave, so took them both.
Now Richard never could be pleas'd
To stop when hunger was appeas'd,
But he'd go on to eat and stuff,
Long after he had had enough.
"I shan't take any more," said Dick,
"Dear me, I feel extremely sick:
I cannot eat this other bit;
I wish I had not tasted it."
Then slowly rising from his seat,
He threw the cheesecake in the street,
And left the tempting pastry-cook's
With very discontented looks.
Jane Taylor
[Page 65--Greediness Land]
The Plum Cake
"Oh! I've got a plum cake,
And a rare feast I'll make,
I'll eat, and I'll stuff, and I'll cram;
Morning, noontime, and night,
It shall be my delight;--
What a happy young fellow I am."
Thus said little George,
And, beginning to gorge,
With zeal to his cake he applied;
While fingers and thumbs,
For the sweetmeats and plums,
Were hunting and digging besides.
But, woeful to tell,
A misfortune befell,
Which ruin'd this capital fun!
After eating his fill,
He was taken so ill,
That he trembled for what he had done.