The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-20
The dialect, stairway form OF narrative
verse Is we'll shown I'm

The dialect stairway form OF narrative
verse is well shown In
LITTLE oRPHANT ANNIE.
Little Orphant Annic's come TO our house
to stay
An wash the cups an saucers up, and
brush the crumbs away,
An shoe the chickens off the porch. an
dust the hearth, an sweep.
An make the fire, an bake the bread, an
earn her board-an' keep;
An all us other children, when the sup
per things is done,
We set around the kitchen fire an has
A-tstnin' to the witch tales at Annie
tells about
An the gobble-uns at gts you
Ef you
Don't
Watch
out!
Onc't they was little boy wouldn't say
his prayrs-
An when he went TO bed at night, away
up stairs,
His nanny heerd him holler. an mis-
daddy heerd him bawi,
An when they turn't the kivvers down,
he wasn't there at all!
An they seeked him in the rafter-room.
an cubby-hole, an press,
An seeked him up the Chimbly-tlue, an
ever where's. l guess.
But all they ever found was thst his
pants an roundabout
An the gobble-uns II git you
IF you
Don't
Watch
out!
An one time a little girl ud allus laugh
an grin
An make fun of ever one an all her
blood-an'- kin.
An onc't when they was COMPANY" an
ole folks was there
She Knocked 'em an shocked 'em, an said
she didn't care!
An thist as she kicked her heels. an
turnt to run an hide,
There was two great big Black Things
a-standn' by her side
An they snatched her through the Ceilin'
fore she know'd what she's about!
An the gobble-uns II git you
Ef you
Don't
Watch
Out!
An little Orphant Annie says when the
An the lampwick sputtcrs, an the wind
goes woo-oo!
An YOU hear the Crickets quit. an the
moon is gray,
An the lightin bugs in dew is all
squenched away
You better mind yer parents, and yer
teachers fond and dear,
An chursh them at loves you, an dry
the orphants tear.
An help the pore and needy ones at clus-
ters all about,
Err the gobble-uns II git you
Ef you
Don't
Watch
Out.
o
Dialect. however, is readily dispensed
with by Mr.. Riley and in the poem which
follows we have a hint Of the authors
natural mastery Of pathos. 1t is called
THE LOST KISS.
| put by the half.Writtcn poem
While the pen, idly trailed in my hand,
Writes on, Had / words to complete it,
Who'd read it, or who'd understand
But the little bare feet on the stairway
And the faint, smothered laugh in the
hall,
And the eerie-low lisp on the silence
Cry up to me over 1t all.
So, gather it up--where was broken
The tear-faded thread of my theme
Telling how, as one night | sat writing
A fairy broke in on my dream
a little inquisitive fairy
My own little girl, with the gold
OF the sun in her hair, and the dewy
Blue eyes of the fairies of old
Twas the dear little girl tnat / scolded-
For was it a moment ike this"
l said, when she knew / was busy
TO come romping in for kiss
Come rowdying up from her mother,
And clamoring there at my knee
For one little kiss for my dolly,
And one little uzzer for me?'
| God pity the heart that repelled her,
And the cold hand that turned her away.
And, take, from the lips that denied her,
| This answerless prayer of today!
! Take Lord, from my mem'ry forever
That pitiful sob of despair
| And the patter and trip of the little bare
| feet
And the one piercing cry on the stair!
put by the half-written poem,
While the pen, idly trailed in my hand,
| Writes on, Had | words to complete ii,
| Who'd read it, or who'd understand?'
| But the little bare feet on the stairway,
And the faint, smothered laugh in the
| hail.
| anu the eeIle-lOW lisp on the silence,
| Cry up to me over it all.
| II
Another 1.-THE Dream" rich with poetic
| imagery shows us exceptional euphonic
| skill:
| ., it was but a dream ! had
/ While the musician Played
| And here the sky, and here the glad
| Old ocean kissed the glade
| And here the laughing ripples ran,
! And here the roses grew
| That threw a kiss to every man
That voyaged with the crew.
! Our silken sails in lazy folds
Dropped in the breathless breeze;
| AS DER a field of marigOlds
| Our eyes swan DER the seas;
| While here the eddies lisped and purled
| Around the islands rim,
| And up from out the underworld
! We saw the mermen swim.
And It was dawn and middle day
And midnight-for the moon
| On silver rounds across the bay
! Had climbed the skies of June
| And here the glowing, glorious king
| OF day ruled DER his realm,
With stars of midnight glittering
About his diadem.
The seagull reelcd on languid wing
| In circles round the mast,
| We heard the songs the sirens sing
NuTs rnVNN Inc