Page:Poems that every child should know (ed. Burt, 1904).djvu/100

62 How strange the food he covets,

The restless, restless wight;—

Fred's old stuffed armadillo

He found a tempting bite,

Fred's old stuffed armadillo,

With ears a perfect fright.

The Lady Ruth's great bureau,

Each foot a dragon's paw!

The midget ate the nails from

His famous antique claw.

Oh, what a cruel beastie

To hurt a dragon's claw!

To autographic copies

Upon my choicest shelf,—

To every dainty volume

The rogue has helped himself.

My books! Oh dear! No matter!

The rogue has helped himself.

And yet, my little squirrel,

Your taste is not so bad;

You've swallowed Caird completely

And psychologic Ladd.

Rosmini you've digested,

And Kant in rags you've clad.

Gnaw on, my elfish rodent!

Lay all the sages low!

My pretty lace and ribbons,

They're yours for weal or woe!

My pocket-book's in tatters

Because you like it so.

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