Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-07-27
Nor pan,rg Readers.
THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT.

: he old folk can do very well without me,
And Illbe the friend of the children quoth he.
So away in his store-room he stored up heap
Of bags well filed, full seven yards deepl
While ranged very near them, in beautiful show,
Were great many corn pOppers setin arowl
And this is the corn that lay in the house that
Jack built.
And a blazing red fire was ever kept glowing,
By great pair OF bellows that ever kept blowing:
And there stood the children, the dear little souls
A-shaking their corn-poppers over the Goals.
Soon a motherly rat, seeking food for her young.
Came prying and peeping the corn bags among.
" III take home supply" said this kindest of
mothers;
My children like corn quite as well as those
Others
And this is the rat, ETC.
Run quick, Mother Rat! Oh, if you but knew
How slyly old Tabby is watching for your
She's creeping so softly-pray, pray do not wait
She Springs!-she has grabbed youl-ah, now tits
too late!
And this is the cat, etc.
Too late, yes, too latel All your struggles are
vain;
You never viii see those dear children again!
All sadly they sit in their desolate home,
Looking out for the mother that never will come.
When Pussy had finished, she said with smile,
Il think will walk in the garden awhile
And there take nap in some sunshiny spot"
Bose laughed to himself, as he said: L think
not!''
just as Puss shuts her eyelids, obi what does she
hear?
. Bow-wowl" and " Bow-wowr" very close at her
ear
Now away up pole all trembling she springs,
And there, on its top, all trembling, she clings.
And this is the dog etc.
Said Bose to himself: . What great dog am [?
When my voice is heard, who dares to come nigh?
Now I'll worry that COW. Ha, Ia, ha! Oh. if she
Should run up pole, how funny t would bel''
Poor Bosei you will wish that you'd never been
When you bark at that cow with the crumpled
horn.
Way you go, with toss, high up in the airl
Do you like it, old Bose? Is it pleasant up there?
And this is the COW, etc.
Now, when this old Molly, so famous in story.
Left Bose ON the ground all bereft of his glory.
She walkedto the valley fast as she could,
Where dear little maid with milking-pail
stood
And this is the maiden, ETC.
Alas! a maiden all forlorn was She
Woful and sad, and piteous to seel
With weary step she walked, and many sigh;
Her cheek was pale, a tear bedimmed her eye.
She sat her down, with melancholy air,
Among the flowers that bloomed so sweetly there;
And thus. with clasped hands, she made her moan:
d" All mel" she said. ''Ah. me! I'm all alone!
Tn all no hO for
In all the world are none care to see.
No one to me kindly message brings;
Nobody gives me any pref things.
Nobody asks me am | sick or we'll
Nobody listens when I've aught TO tell.
Kind words of love I've never, never known.
All, me!' she said, its sad to be aloney'
Now up jumps the man all tattered and torn.
And he says to the maiden: Don't sit there for
lorn.
Behind this wild rosebush I've heard all you said
And IU love and protect you, you dear little
maid
For oft have hid there, so bashful and shy
And peeped through the roses to see you 90 bv:
know every look of those features so fair
know every curl of your bright golden hair.
My garments are in bad condi ion, no doubt;
But the love that give you shall never wear out
Now, I'll be the husband if you'll be the wife,
And together we'll live without trouble or strife -
And this is the man, etc.
Thought the maid to herself; ''Oh, what beautiful
words!
Sweeter than music or singing of birds
How pleasant t will be thus to live all my life
With this kind little man, without trouble or
strife!
If his clothes are all tattered and torn WHY. it's
plain
What he il q xUifa that cop y,ap5 +bo,,
again.
And he brought them to such sorry plight, it may
'Mong the thorns of the roses, while watching for
metz
And when this wise maiden looked up in his face,
She saw there look full of sweetness and grace.
Twas truth-telling face. Yes I'll trust you"
said She
= All, a kiss I must take if YOU trust meI'' ouoth
he;
And since we're so happily both of mind,
Well set off together the priest for to fnd.''
Now, hand in hand along they pass
Tripping it lightly over the grass
By pleasant ways, through fields of flowers
By shady lanes through greenwood bowers.
The bright little leaves hey dance in the breeze,
And the birds sing merriy up in the trees!
The maiden smiles as they onward 60
Forgotten now her longing and woe;
And the good little man he does care for her so!
He cheers the way with his pleasant talk,
Finds the sOftest paths where her teet may walk
Stays her to rest in the sheltered nook,
Guides her carefully over the brook
Lifts her tenderly over the stile
Speaking 50 cheerily all the while;
And plucks the prettiest wild flowers there,
To deck the curls OF her golden hair
Says the joyful maid: 8 Not flower that grows
Is SO fair for me as the sweet 1ciLd roser'
Thus journeying on, by greenwood and dell,
They came, at last, where the priest did dwell
Ajolly fat priest as have heard tell;
jolly fat priest, all shaven and shorn
With long, black cassock so jauntily worn
And this is the priest, etc.
Good morrow, Sir Priestl will you marry US
two:''
: That 1 will said the priest, . if ye're both
lovers true!
But when, little man, shall your weddingday be?''
tomorrow. good Priest, if you can agree,
At the sweet hour of sunrise when the day
Is rosy and fresh in it's morning array,
" hen flowers are awaking, and birds full of glee,
At the top of the morning our wedding shall be!
And since friends we have none, for this wedding
of ours
\ o guests shall there be- save the birds and the
flowers: