A Child's Garden of Verses 2   By: Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)

by

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSoN

Illustrated by Myrtle Sheldon

M. A. Donohue & Co. Chicago Copyright 1916 by M. A. Donohue and Company

BY WAY of INTRODUCTION

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Nothing has ever been written that appeals to a child's nature more than "A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES." It is written in a simple verse that a child can readily understand. It was one of the earlier efforts of the author, Robert Louis Stevenson, a Scotchman by birth, who, owing to ill health, became a world traveler. During his travels he visited the United States, spending a year among our famous resorts. Later he visited Australia and the South Sea Islands, which climate agreed with him to such an extent that he finally settled down and made his home on the island of Samoa. He continued his travels from that point, often visiting the Hawaiian Islands, Australia and New Zealand. He formed a strong friendship for the natives of Samoa, and did a great deal to improve their conditions. He died on the island, and at his own request was buried on the top of one of its beautiful mountains, with the following lines upon his tomb:

Here he lies, where he longed to be; Home is the Sailor, home from the sea, And the hunter home from the hill.

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CONTENTS

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BED IN SUMMER

YOUNG NIGHT THOUGHT

PIRATE STORY

FAREWELL TO THE FARM

THE LAND OF COUNTERPANE

FAIRY BREAD

ESCAPE AT BEDTIME

A GOOD PLAY

MARCHING SONG

WHERE GO THE BOATS

THE HAYLOFT

AUNTIE'S SKIRTS

THE MOON

THE COW

FOREIGN LANDS

SYSTEM

AT THE SEASIDE

HAPPY THOUGHT

THE LAND OF NOD

WINDY NIGHTS

TIME TO RISE

RAIN

FOREIGN CHILDREN

LOOKING FORWARD

MY SHADOW

THE SUN'S TRAVELS

LOOKING GLASS RIVER

THE LAMPLIGHTER

SINGING

TRAVEL

MY BED IS A BOAT

KEEPSAKE MILL

THE UNSEEN PLAYMATE

MY SHIP AND I

THE WIND

A GOOD BOY

GOOD AND BAD CHILDREN

PICTURE BOOKS IN WINTER

THE SWING

A THOUGHT

ARMIES IN THE FIRE

MY KINGDOM

SHADOW MARCH

WINTER TIME

THE LITTLE LAND

IN PORT

NIGHT AND DAY

NEST EGGS

THE FLOWERS

FROM A RAILWAY CARRIAGE

MY TREASURES

BLOCK CITY

THE GARDENER

A CHILD'S GARDEN of VERSES

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BED IN SUMMER

In winter I get up at night, And dress by yellow candle light. In summer quite the other way, I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see The birds still hopping on the tree, Or hear the grown up people's feet, Still going past me in the street.

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And does it not seem hard to you, When all the sky is clear and blue, And I should like so much to play, To have to go to bed by day?

YOUNG NIGHT THOUGHT

All night long and every night, When my mamma puts out the light I see the people marching by, As plain as day, before my eye.

Armies and emperors and kings, All carrying different kinds of things, And marching in so grand a way, You never saw the like by day.

So fine a show was never seen At the great circus on the green; For every kind beast and man Is marching in that caravan.

At first they move a little slow, But still the faster on they go, And still beside them close I keep Until we reach the Town of Sleep.

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PIRATE STORY

Three of us afloat in the meadow by the swing. Three of us aboard in the basket on the lea. Winds are in the air, they are blowing in the spring, And waves are on the meadow like the waves there are at sea.

Where shall we adventure, to day that we're afloat, Wary of the weather and steering by a star? Shall it be to Africa, a steering of the boat, To Providence, or Babylon, or off to Malabar?