THE STEPMOTHER

First she come to our house,

Tommy run and hid;

And Emily and Bob and me

We cried jus’ like we did

When Mother died,— and we all said

‘ At we all wisht‘ at we was dead!

And Nurse she could n't stop us;

And Pa he tried and tried,—

We sobbed and shook and would n't look,

But only cried and cried;

And nen some one — we could n't jus’

Tell who — was cryin’ same as us!

Our Stepmother! Yes, it was her,

Her arms around us all —

‘ Cause Tom slid down the banister

And peeked in from the hall.—

And we all love her, too, because

She's purt’ nigh good as Mother was!