Produced by K Nordquist, Diane Monico, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) [Illustration: Our Little Brown House. (cover)] Our Little Brown House. OUR LITTLE BROWN HOUSE; A Poem of West Point. WRITTEN FOR THE NEW YEAR'S FESTIVAL AT THE CADETS' SABBATH-SCHOOL OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, JANUARY 1, 1879, AND READ ON THAT OCCASION BY THE AUTHORESS, (M. L. S.) * * * * * NEW YORK: PUBLISHED BY F. KALKHOFF, JR. 1880. Copyright, by MARIA L. STEWART, 1880. THE MOSS ENGRAVING CO., Engravers and Printers, NEW YORK. PREFACE. _These poems were prepared merely with the hope of interesting the members of the Sabbath-School before whom they were read, and were not intended for publication. At the urgent request of many friends, however, I have been induced to present them to the public in their present form._ _M. L. S._ CONTENTS OUR LITTLE BROWN HOUSE. SUPPLEMENT. GRAND CELEBRATION. [Illustration: OUR LITTLE BROWN HOUSE. (Drawn by William Erwin.)] OUR LITTLE BROWN HOUSE. There's a little brown house just under the hill; It's not by the river, nor yet by a rill; It's not on the green-sward where the gay and proud meet, But it stands on the corner of Bandbarrack's street. This time-honored veteran, in armor complete, Has stood many winters the storm and the sleet-- The early spring rains and the long summer heat, The wear and the tear of a great many feet. It's a very small building, and plain in its way; No high-toned paintings, not a thing that is gay; It was built of the gun-house of Col Thayer fame, During the years of the Delafield reign. Then came Captain B.--he thought it all wrong That such a small house should hold such a throng; So out went the walls, up went the roof, And thus it was altered and made large enough. Then again it was altered, with the door to the south, Which did very well in time of a drought; Then Lieutenant G., he thought it to better-- He changed it a little, but not to the letter. It was painted without and papered within; The roof now is shingles, then it was tin. Next came Colonel B., a thrifty man-- He too had to lend a helping hand. So down went the stove and up went a heater, A thing which, indeed, was very much neater. Again it's been altered, just right, it's confess't, For the door has gone back again into the west. [Illustration: PRESENTING "SPOONEY BUTTON." (Sketched by Cadet Cameron. Class of '83.)] The east end's been paneled, and looks very good; The door has been covered with a very nice hood; And thus it's been altered again and again; This time it was altered to keep off the rain.