Love-Songs of Childhood

<p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0038" id="link2H_4_0038"></SPAN></p> <h2> THE DOLL'S WOOING </h2> <p>The little French doll was a dear little doll<br/> Tricked out in the sweetest of dresses;<br/> Her eyes were of hue<br/> A most delicate blue<br/> And dark as the night were her tresses;<br/> Her dear little mouth was fluted and red,<br/> And this little French doll was so very well bred<br/> That whenever accosted her little mouth said<br/> "Mamma! mamma!"<br/> The stockinet doll, with one arm and one leg,<br/> Had once been a handsome young fellow;<br/> But now he appeared<br/> Rather frowzy and bleared<br/> In his torn regimentals of yellow;<br/> Yet his heart gave a curious thump as he lay<br/> In the little toy cart near the window one day<br/> And heard the sweet voice of that French dolly say:<br/> "Mamma! mamma!"<br/> He listened so long and he listened so hard<br/> That anon he grew ever so tender,<br/> For it's everywhere known<br/> That the feminine tone<br/> Gets away with all masculine gender!<br/> He up and he wooed her with soldierly zest<br/> But all she'd reply to the love he professed<br/> Were these plaintive words (which perhaps you have guessed):<br/> "Mamma! mamma!"<br/> Her mother&mdash;a sweet little lady of five&mdash;<br/> Vouchsafed her parental protection,<br/> And although stockinet<br/> Wasn't blue-blooded, yet<br/> She really could make no objection!<br/> So soldier and dolly were wedded one day,<br/> And a moment ago, as I journeyed that way,<br/> I'm sure that I heard a wee baby voice say:<br/> "Mamma! mamma!"<br/></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />