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A FREE SHOW

Mister McCune Can whistle a tune,

Old Uncle Strong Can sing us a song,

Benjamin Biddle Can play on the fiddle,

Captain O'Trigg Can dance us a jig,

And I, if I'm able, Will tell you a fable.

BILLY b.u.mPKINS

Heigho, Billy b.u.mpkins, How d' you grow your pumpkins?

"At six o'clock I sows 'em, At ten o'clock I hoes 'em, An' jes before I goes to bed I puts 'em in the pumpkin shed."

Tell us, Billy b.u.mpkins, How d' you sell your pumpkins?

"I lends 'em to the ladies, I gives 'em to the babies, An' trades a hundred for a kiss To any pretty little miss."

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BLUE FLAMES AND RED FLAMES

Blue flames and red flames In a world all dark; Blue flames and red flames, And a tiny spark Hurrying to heaven, lest it should be late; Lest the cautious seraphim close the shining gate, And leave the little wanderer forevermore to fly Like an orphan angel through the endless sky.

TIMOTHY GRADY

Poor little Timothy Grady Screwed up his face at a lady, And, jiminy jack!

It wouldn't come back.

The louder he hollered The tighter it grew, His eyes are all red And his lips are all blue.

Oh, mercy me, what in the world will he do?

Poor little Timothy Grady!

CAPTAIN TICKLE AND HIS NICKEL

Captain Tickle had a nickel In a paper sack, He threw it in the river And he couldn't get it back.

Captain Tickle spent his nickel For a rubber ball, And when he cut it open There was nothing there at all.

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GRANDMOTHER GRUNDY

O Grandmother Grundy, Now what would you say If the katydids carried Your gla.s.ses away--

Carried them off To the top of the sky And used them to watch The eclipses go by?

NEEDLES AND PINS

Needles and pins, hooks and eyes!

I saw a doughnut in the skies.

Flipperjinks the circus clown Climbed a tree and got it down.

[Ill.u.s.tration: NEEDLES AND PINS, HOOKS AND EYES!]

A TOE RIME

Ta.s.sle is a captain, Tinsel is a mayor, Tony is a baker-boy With 'la.s.ses in his hair, Tipsy is a sailor, With anchors on his chest, And Tiny is the baby boy Who bosses all the rest.