And now, John Wesley Thomas, first and last,-- You feed 'em _milk_--_fresh_ milk--and always _warm_-- Say five or six or seven times a day-- Of course we'll grade that by the way they _thrive_." But, for all sanguine hope, and care, as well, The little fellows _did not_ thrive at all.-- Indeed, with _all_ our care and vigilance, By the third day of their captivity The last survivor of the fated five Squeaked, like some battered little rubber toy Just clean worn out.--And that's just what it was! And--nights,--the cry of the mother-fox for her young Was heard, with awe, for long weeks afterward. And we boys, every night, would go to the door And, peering out in the darkness, listening, Could hear the poor fox in the black bleak woods Still calling for her little ones in vain. As, all mutely, we returned to the warm fireside, Mother would say: "How would you like for _me_ To be out there, this dark night, in the cold woods, Calling for _my_ children?" [Illustration] * * * * * II UNCLE BRIGHTENS UP-- [Illustration] Uncle he says 'at 'way down in the sea Ever'thing's ist like it _used_ to be:-- He says they's mermaids, an' mermens, too, An' little merchildern, like me an' you-- Little merboys, with tops an' balls, An' little mergirls, with little merdolls. [Illustration] Uncle Sidney's vurry proud Of little Leslie-Janey, 'Cause she's so smart, an' goes to school Clean 'way in Pennsylvany! * * * * * [Illustration: "AN' ALL BE POETS AN' ALL RECITE."] * * * * * She print' an' sent a postul-card To Uncle Sidney, telling How glad he'll be to hear that she "Toock the onners in Speling." Uncle he learns us to rhyme an' write An' all be poets an' all recite: His little-est poet's his little-est niece, An' this is her little-est poetry-piece. [Illustration] * * * * * III SINGS A "WINKY-TOODEN" SONG-- [Illustration] O here's a little rhyme for the Spring- or Summer-time-- An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho!-- Just a little bit o' tune you can twitter, May or June, An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho! It's a song that soars and sings, As the birds that twang their wings Or the katydids and things Thus and so, don't you know, An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho! It's a song just broken loose, with no reason or excuse-- An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho! You can sing along with it--or it matters not a bit-- An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho! It's a lovely little thing That 'most any one could sing With a ringle-dingle-ding, Soft and low, don't you know, An a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho! [Illustration] * * * * * [Illustration] IV AND MAKES NURSERY RHYMES 1 THE DINERS IN THE KITCHEN [Illustration] Our dog Fred Et the bread. [Illustration]