THE BLACKBERRY GIRL
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Mabie, Hamilton Wright, Forbush, William Byron, and Hale, Edward Everett
"'But when the blackberries were ripe,
He said to me one day,
"Phebe, if you will take the time
That's given you for play,
"'"And gather blackberries enough,
And carry them to town,
To buy your bonnet and your shoes,
I'll try to get a gown."
"'Oh, Miss, I fairly jumped for joy,
My spirits were so light;
And so, when I had leave to play,
I picked with all my might.
"'I sold enough to get my shoes,
About a week ago;
And these, if they had not been spilt,
Would buy a bonnet, too.
"'But now they're gone, they all are gone,
And I can get no more,
And Sundays I must stay at home,
Just as I did before.'
"And, mother, then I cried again
As hard as I could cry;
And looking up, I saw a tear
Was standing in her eye.
"She caught her bonnet from her head,
'Here, here,' she cried, 'take this!'
'Oh, no, indeed—I fear your ma
Would be offended, Miss.'
"'My ma! no, never; she delights
All sorrow to beguile;
And 't is the sweetest joy she feels,
To make the wretched smile.
"'She taught me when I had enough,
To share it with the poor;
And never let a needy child,
Go empty from the door.
"'So take it, for you need not fear
Offending her, you see;
I have another, too, at home,
And one's enough for me,'