The Spoiler

With a twinkle in his eye

He'd come gayly walkin’ by

An’ he'd whistle to the children

An’ he'd beckon‘ em to come,

Then he'd chuckle low an’ say,

“Come along, I'm on my way,

An’ it's I that need your company

To buy a little gum.”

When his merry call they'd hear,

All the children, far an’ near,

Would come flyin’ from the gardens

Like the chickens after wheat;

When we'd shake our heads an’ say:

“No, you must n't go to-day!”

He'd beg to let him have‘ em

In a pack about his feet.

Oh, he spoiled‘ em, one an’ all;

There was not a youngster small

But was over-fed on candy

An’ was stuffed with lollypops,

An’ I think his greatest joy

Was to get some girl or boy

An’ bring‘ em to their parents

All besmeared by chocolate drops.

Now the children's hearts are sore

For he comes to them no more,

And no more to them he whistles

And no more for them he stops;

But in Paradise, I think,

With his chuckle and his wink,

He is leading little angels

To the heavenly candy shops.