Second Book of Verse   By: Eugene Field (1850-1895)

BOOK OF VERSE

BY EUGENE FIELD

Second Book of Tales. Songs and Other Verse. The Holy Cross and Other Tales. The House. The Love Affairs of a Bibliomaniac. A Little Book Of Profitable Tales. A Little Book of Western Verse. Second Book of Verse. Each, 1 vol., 16mo, $1.25 A Little Book of Profitable Tales. Cameo Edition with etched portrait. 16mo, $1.25. Echoes from the Sabine Farm. 4to, $2.00 With Trumpet and Drum. 16mo, $1.00. Love Songs of Childhood. 16mo, $1.00.

Second

BOOK OF VERSE

BY

EUGENE FIELD

NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1896

Copyright, 1892 ,

BY JULIA SUTHERLAND FIELD.

A little bit of a woman came Athwart my path one day; So tiny was she that she seemed to be A pixy strayed from the misty sea, Or a wandering greenwood fay.

"Oho, you little elf!" I cried, "And what are you doing here? So tiny as you will never do For the brutal rush and hullaballoo Of this practical world, I fear."

"Voice have I, good sir," said she. "'Tis soft as an Angel's sigh, But to fancy a word of yours were heard In all the din of this world's absurd!" Smiling, I made reply.

"Hands have I, good sir" she quoth. "Marry, and that have you! But amid the strife and the tumult rife In all the struggle and battle for life, What can those wee hands do?"

"Eyes have I, good sir," she said. "Sooth, you have," quoth I, "And tears shall flow therefrom, I trow, And they betimes shall dim with woe, As the hard, hard years go by!"

That little bit of a woman cast Her two eyes full on me, And they smote me sore to my inmost core, And they hold me slaved forevermore, Yet would I not be free!

That little bit of a woman's hands Reached up into my breast And rent apart my scoffing heart, And they buffet it still with such sweet art As cannot be expressed.

That little bit of a woman's voice Hath grown most wondrous dear; Above the blare of all elsewhere (An inspiration that mocks at care) It riseth full and clear.

Dear one, I bless the subtle power That makes me wholly thine; And I'm proud to say that I bless the day When a little woman wrought her way Into this life of mine!

The Verse in this Second Book.

PAGE

FATHER'S WAY 1

TO MY MOTHER 5

KÖRNER'S BATTLE PRAYER 7

GOSLING STEW 9

CATULLUS TO LESBIA 12

JOHN SMITH 13

ST. MARTIN'S LANE 22

THE SINGING IN GOD'S ACRE 25

DEAR OLD LONDON 28

CORSICAN LULLABY (Folk Song) 33

THE CLINK OF THE ICE 35

BELLS OF NOTRE DAME 39

LOVER'S LANE, ST. JO 41

CRUMPETS AND TEA 44

AN IMITATION OF DR. WATTS 47

INTRY MINTRY 48

MODJESKY AS CAMEEL 51

TELLING THE BEES 60

THE TEA GOWN 62

DOCTORS 64

BARBARA 69

THE CAFÉ MOLINEAU 72

HOLLY AND IVY 75

THE BOLTONS, 22 77

DIBDIN'S GHOST 83

THE HAWTHORNE CHILDREN 87

THE BOTTLE AND THE BIRD 91

AN ECLOGUE FROM VIRGIL 96

PITTYPAT AND TIPPYTOE 103

ASHES ON THE SLIDE 106

THE LOST CUPID OF MOSCHUS 110

CHRISTMAS EVE 113

CARLSBAD 115

THE SUGAR PLUM TREE 120

RED 122

JEWISH LULLABY 124

AT CHEYENNE 126

THE NAUGHTY DOLL 128

THE PNEUMOGASTRIC NERVE 131

TEENY WEENY 134

TELKA 137

PLAINT OF A MISSOURI 'COON 146

ARMENIAN LULLABY 151

THE PARTRIDGE 153

CORINTHIAN HALL 156

THE RED, RED WEST 162

THE THREE KINGS OF COLOGNE 165

IPSWICH 167

BILL'S TENOR AND MY BASS 170

FIDUCIT (from the German) 175