Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-09-24
READING FOR THE YOUNG.
THE LOST HATS.

rake on thy stockings Samuel
Now take them OF, i prayl
Roll up thy trousers, Samuel,
And come with me to play.
50 The ebbing tide has left the sand
All hard and smooth and white,
And we will build goodly fort
And have good1y fight"
Then Samuel he pulled on
His hose or scarlet hue;
And Samuel he rolled up
His breeches darkly blue.
And hand in hand with Reginald
He hied him to the beach.
Each little boy shovel had,
And exc pail had each.
Then down upon the shining sand
Right joyfully they sat;
And far upon the shining sand
Each tossed his brOad-brlmmed hat
Then valiantly to work they sat-
Like sturdy lads and true:
And there they Dullt stately FORT
The best that they might do
I" Now sit we down within the walls,
Which rise above our head,
And we will make US cannon-ballS
Of sand, IL not CT lead
Now as they worked, those little boys
Full glad in heart and mind,
The creeping tide came back again,
TO see what it could ma.
The creeping tide came up the sand,
And there it found two broad brimmed hats,
With ribbons red and blue.
And see nowr' said the creeping tide,
''TheSe hats belong, trow,
To Reginald and Samuei:
l saw them here but now.
"And see now said the creeping tide,
"What binders me to float
These hats out to the boys mamma,
Who's sailing in a boat"
Then up there came two little waves.
All ripping so free;
They lifted up the PREDETERMINED hats,
And bore them out to sea.
The ribbons red and ribbons blue
Streanled gallantly away.
The straw did glitter in the sun:
Were never craft 80 gay!
The mother of these little lads
Was sailing on the sea;
And now she laughed and now she sang
And who SO blithe as she?
And "Lookl" she said, "what things be
these
That dance upon the wave,
And tiuttering and gllttering,
And sparkling so brave!
"Now row me well, you gallauts gay,
Now row me DER the sea;
For we will chase these tiny craft,
And see what they may be-
They rowed her fast, they rowed her we'll
Too wel those gallants true,
For when she reached the broad-brimmed
hats,
Right Well those hats she knew.
50 Alas!" she cried, my little lads
Are drowned in the Sea!'
Then down she sank in deadly swoon,
As pale as she might be.
They rowed her well, those gallants CAV
They rOwed her to the land;
They lifted up that lady pale,
And bore her o er the sand.
But as they bore her up the beach,
The balls began to fly;
And hit those galants on the nose,
And hit them in the eye.
They looked here. they looked there,
To see whence this might be,
And soon they spied stately fort,
Beside the salt, salt sea-
And straight from out the stately fort
The balls were flying free.
Each gallant rubbed his smitten nose,
And exc his eye rubbed he.
They looked within the stately fort
To see who aimed SO well,
And there was little Reginald,
And youthful Samuel!
They lifted up those little boys,
Each by his mostly hand;
And down beside that lady pale
They sat them.on the sand.
And first that lady waxed more pale,
And syne she kissed those little boys,
But not word she said.
Then up and spoke those gallants gay
"You naughty little chaps,
Your poor mamma you've frightened sore
And made her ill, perhaps.
And if you are not shaken well
And if you are not spanked,
It will not be your uncleS' fault,
So they need not be thanked.
Then up and spoke those little lads,
All mournful as they sat:
And each did cry: "Ah! woe Is me!
I've lost my nice new hat! J.!
Then up and spoke that lady fair:
'NayI nay! my little dears,
You shan't be spanked? So come with me,
And wipe away your tears.
Z" There be more hats in Boston town
For little boys to wear;
And as for those that you have lost,
pray their voyage be fair.
For since have my little lads,
The hats may sail away
Around the world and back again,
Forever and day!"
Laura E. Richards, in Youths Companion