The Brownies: Their Book Part 1

The Brownies: Their Book.

by Palmer c.o.x.

THE BROWNIES AT SCHOOL.

AS Brownies rambled 'round one night, A country schoolhouse came in sight; And there they paused awhile to speak About the place, where through the week The scholars came, with smile or whine,

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Each morning at the stroke of nine.

"This is," said one, "the place, indeed, Where children come to write and read.

'T is here, through rules and rods to suit, The young idea learns to shoot; And here the idler with a grin In nearest neighbor pokes the pin,

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Or sighs to break his scribbled slate And spring at once to man's estate.

How oft from shades of yonder grove I've viewed at eve the shouting drove As from the door they crowding broke, Like oxen from beneath the yoke."

Another said: "The teacher's chair, The ruler, pen, and birch are there, The blackboard hangs against the wall; The slate's at hand, the books and all.

We might go in to read and write And master sums like scholars bright."

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The more they talked, the stronger grew The wish to prove how much they knew.

From page to page through books to pa.s.s And spell the words that tried the cla.s.s; So through their skill they soon obtained Access to all the room contained.

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"I'll play," cried one, "the teacher's part; I know some lessons quite by heart, And every section of the land To me is plain as open hand."

"With all respect, my friend, to you,"

Another said, "that would not do.

You're hardly fitted, sir, to rule;

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Your place should be the dunce's stool.

You're not with great endowments blessed; Besides, your temper's not the best, And those who train the budding mind Should own a disposition kind.

The rod looks better on the tree Than resting by the master's knee; _I'll_ be the teacher, if you please; I know the rivers, lakes, and seas, And, like a banker's clerk, can throw The figures nimbly in a row.

I have the patience, love, and grace, So requisite in such a case."

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Now some bent o'er a slate or book, And some at blackboards station took.

They cl.u.s.tered 'round the globe with zeal, And kept it turning like a wheel.

Said one, "I've often heard it said, The world is rounder than your head, And here, indeed, we find it true.

With both the poles at once in view, With lat.i.tudes and each degree All measured out on land and sea."

Another said, "I thought I knew The world from Maine to Timbuctoo, Or could, without a guide, have found My way from Cork to Puget Sound; But here so many things I find That never dawned upon my mind, On sundry points, I blush to say, I've been a thousand miles astray."

"'T is like an egg," another cried, "A little longer than it's wide, With islands scattered through the seas Where savages may live at ease;

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And buried up in Polar snows You find the hardy Eskimos; While here and there some scorching spots Are set apart for Hottentots.

And see the rivers small and great, That drain a province or a state; The name and shape of every nation; Their faith, extent, and population: And whether governed by a King, A President, or council ring."

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While some with such expressions bold Surveyed the globe as 'round it rolled, Still others turned to ink and pen, And, spreading like a brooding hen, They scrawled a page to show the band Their special "style," or "business hand."

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The teacher had enough to do, To act his part to nature true: He lectured well the infant squad, He rapped the desk and shook the rod, And stood the dunce upon the stool, A laughing-stock to all the school-- But frequent changes please the crowd, So lengthy reign was not allowed; And when one master had his hour, Another took the rod of power; And thus they changed to suit the case, Till many filled the honored place.

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So taken up was every mind With fun and study well combined,

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They noticed not the hours depart, Until the sun commenced to dart A sheaf of lances, long and bright, Above the distant mountain height; Then from the schoolroom, in a heap, They jumped and tumbled, twenty deep, In eager haste to disappear In deepest shades of forests near.

When next the children gathered there, With wondering faces fresh and fair, It took an hour of morning prime, According to the teacher's time, To get the books in place once more, And order to the room restore.

So great had been the haste to hide, The windows were left open wide; And scholars knew, without a doubt, That Brownies had been thereabout.

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THE BROWNIES' RIDE.

ONE night a cunning Brownie band Was roaming through a farmer's land, And while the rogues went prying 'round, The farmer's mare at rest they found; And peeping through the stable-door, They saw the harness that she wore.

The sight was tempting to the eye, For there the cart was standing nigh.

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"That mare," said one, "deserves her feed-- Believe me, she's no common breed; Her grit is good: I've seen her dash Up yonder slope without the lash, Until her load--a ton of hay-- Went bouncing in beside the bay.

In this same cart, old Farmer Gill Takes all his corn and wheat to mill; It must be strong, though rude and rough; It runs on wheels, and that's enough."

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