Sugar and Spice: Comical Tales Comically Dressed

  SUGAR AND SPICE

  Comical Tales Comically Dressed

  BY JAMES JOHNSON

  LONDON: DEAN & SON, 160A, FLEET STREET, E.C.FACTORS AND CHRISTMAS CARD MANUFACTURERS.

  Front Cover]

  Sugar and Spice]

  _A knock at the door! A visitor more._

  SUGAR AND SPICE.

  Our dear children gave a party, Not one grown person there;And the laughter, it was hearty, Without a servant's care.

  "One must," said they, "a servant be," And quick they cried, "one should."So they cast lots, did that par--ty: The lot fell on T. Good.

  They rang the bell, he never came; They called, he would not hear;They stamped, but it was all the same, T. Good would not appear.

  They coaxed him in with marmalade, To take a letter out.He said that he was scarcely made "To post and run about!"

  Said he, "I've seen rich people do Kind acts for servants' good;But seldom have I known, its true, Them act as e'er they should!

  "That is, you know, quite to a T, And sure as eggs are eggs,Men-servants in a family, Care mostly for their legs!"

  Oh! Tommy was quite rated high By all the children fair.He pardon begged, and quick did fly To run both here and there.

  * * * * *

  Now mind and do as you are bid, Or you'll come in for blame;And never let your joy be hid Beneath some passing shame.

  The Little Bootmaker]

  _Knock, knock, knock! paste, paste, paste! Use wax, and thread, and awl each day While there's light to work we'll haste, For health and time soon pass away._

  THE LITTLE BOOTMAKER.

  Young Franky's boots were sent to be mended. The girl came back and saidthey would not be done for a week; the cobbler was so busy.

  Annie, of the same family, who knew nothing of this, sent hers, and saidthey must be done by the next day.

  The cobbler said if they brought him two pairs again to do at once, he'dknock their heads together with his lasts, and then give them a good"welting." He was the only cobbler in the village, or he would not havebeen so independent.

  Franky had often watched the boot-maker at his work; so he coaxed hisfather to let him have some money to buy tools and leather, in orderthat he and his sisters might play at making boots and shoes.

  He set to work, and they had such fun!

  Annie came and asked young master cobbler what time it was; and Frankypretended to hit her on the head with a last, and said it had "juststruck one." Then he measured her, and cut out his vamps, sides,linings, welts, soles, and heels. Next he made a soft-like sock ofleather. This he turned inside out, and did his best to sew on a welt.

  The boot was turned out right again, and then he sewed on a thin sole,and over this nailed another. The heel he formed by fastening littlebits of leather one upon the other.

  After all this, he took a piece of common glass, and scraped the sidesand bottoms of the soles, and heel-balled the sides of the soles andheels, and the boots were made. He did not try any other ornamentalwork. Of course the young lad could not do this without the help of acobbler, to shew him what and how to do each portion of his boot-making;but the man was frightened at having so apt a pupil, and begged pardonfor his former neglect; for though they were not all they might havebeen; they were boots.

  "I see," said he, "if some people neglect their work, there are sure tobe others about who will soon leave them no business to do."

  After this, he would sit for quite half a day at his work without goinground to the "Cobbler's Arms." Some people said it was the wax that goton his seat that made him do it; but I do not think it was.

  The Little Gardener]

  _A flower lives, a flower dies, And we so stand and fall; Some flowers waft scent to the skies, And pleasure give to all._

  THE LITTLE GARDENER.

  There was no nicer garden in all Surrey than Mr. Woffle's. A funny nameyou'll say, but he couldn't help that. One day he came home, and afterfirst kissing his three children, who were all fairly good ones--youknow what I mean, neither better nor worse than most little children youand I know--said, the governess, before he went to business, hadmentioned that they had of late attended to their lessons, and he shouldbe pleased to grant them anything in reason. They all blushed,--Eva, asoldier's coat colour! James, a light red! and Edwin, a rose-lozengehue! The fact was, they had all been saying how they should like togather some flowers and have a game at playing at lady and gentleman andgardener.

  They spoke right out and told their father what was in their minds.

  He said "By all means, my dears."

  Tom became gardener. You can guess who were the others. A verygentlemanly one he was, too. Full of nice bows and smiles. As for Eva,she looked quite the grown lady, and acted so well, that when she puther hand in her pocket for her purse, Edwin was quite surprised to findthat only threepenny and fourpenny pieces came out of it.

  "Now what sort of bouquets would your ladyship like me to cut?" askedTom, holding up a very pretty rose before his sister.

  "I have consulted his lordship, here," answered, Eva, very grandly, "andI'll have ten dozen in five minutes, like this one in my hand!"

  "I'm pleased, your ladyship," said Tom, respectfully, "that you give meplenty of time to execute so large an order, or I might not have beenable to have come up with them to time!"

  "Oh! great people are never in a hurry," quietly remarked Edwin.

  Tom cut all the flowers he knew could be spared from the greenhouse, andher ladyship and his lordship took them and gave them to a poor girlwhose sick mother wanted some little pleasure; and the girl sold theflowers for gentlemen's button-holes.

  When Mr. Woffles heard all about it, he was very pleased, and kissed thelittle Woffles all round. Wasn't it a nice game for rich children toplay at; to do good to poor ones?

  The Little Cooks]

  _When children try their best to please, It makes them good and kind, And gives to those they love some ease, And ev'ry comfort find._

  THE LITTLE COOKS.

  Everybody who knew Frank Green, liked him. He was always trying to dosomething to make those around him comfortable. His brothers, George andEdwin, were nice little fellows enough; but Franky, as people loved tocall him, was the favourite. And he was generally so careful in all heundertook, that his parents let him do nearly everything in reason hedesired.

  So, one fine morning, when his mother and father were about to start forthe Crystal Palace, Frank, who had been sitting on his thumbs andthinking very deeply, jumped up all of a sudden and said, (he tried tospeak in an off-hand manner); "I suppose you couldn't say to a minute,could you, when you'll be back?"

  Father laughed, and mother turned aside her head for an instant

  "And mother's laughing, too," cried little Edwin. You can see him; butI'd better introduce them.

  1st--Frank: right hand, near oven.

  2nd--George: holding bird.

  3rd--Edwin: bearing tray and cover.

  Now we can go on.

  "I know mother's laughing," said Edwin, "because the back of her neck'sred!"

  Mother kissed him, and said she'd be back at five o'clock, exactly; andfather shook the boys by the hand, and said he'd be home at five, too.

  The moment they were gone, Frank beckoned his brothers to him, and saidin whispers;

  "Let's ask the cook to give us leave, and then treat mother and fatherto a jolly good dinner, and cook it ourselves!"

  George clapped his hands with delight, and Edwin danced for a moment ortwo quite on his own account.

  "Let's have some shrimps and marmal
ade," said he, about to run out ofthe room.

  Frank and George laughed at him and told him he might buy some shrimpsfor a sauce and the marmalade would do for the pastry. They went towork, and Frank gave his orders quite like a grand cook. He tried thecookery book, but, boy as he was, he threw it away in disgust. "For,"said he, "if you live in one town, you'd have to send to another to getall the things named in it." They had two nice birds and a joint, andmany other things.

  When their parents came home, and saw the table laid out with what thechildren had paid for out of their pocket money, they were very pleased;and, mind, I won't be sure; but I don't think the boys lost anything bytheir generosity. One thing I must tell, you as a secret--Edwin nearlyshed a tear when he found he had eaten so much of the meat, which hismoney had bought, that he couldn't find room for his marmalade-tart.

  The Young Sportsman]

  _A hare runs away, And little boys play; And girls they have skippers, While maidens work slippers._

  THE YOUNG SPORTSMAN.

  Henry Downing's father was a gamekeeper; so you will not be surprised tohear that he was very fond of playing at hunting and shooting.

  His dearest friend was little Minnie Warren. He ran up to her one fineSeptember day, and said, "Oh! Minnie, father has been so kind; he hasgiven me a hare, and after you and I have had a game at hunting it, I'mto give it to you, and you're to give it to your mother to jug. There!what say you to that?"

  Minnie _was_ pleased.

  It was fun to see how they made believe.

  Minnie tied, oh! such a long string to the hare's hind legs, and walkedoff a good way; and just as Henry cocked his gun and pretended to fire,she gave the string a pull, and off she ran, Henry after her.

  They played at this till they were quite tired, and then our littlefriend at last made a pretence of shooting very carefully; and thenMinnie quite gravely let him come and pick Miss Hare up.

  "Now," said Henry, "walk home first and stand at the door with your armscrossed, and look quite seriously at me when I come up and give it toyou. My gun will be in my left hand, and the hare in the other; so Ishan't be able to take my hat off; but I'll bow twice, and make it upthat way."

  He gave it to her; and Mrs. Warren was pleased when her daughter handedher Henry's gift.

  You may be sure he was asked to dine with them when it was cooked.

  Minnie said the hare turned out tender, on purpose; and Henry added hebelieved he enjoyed the _game_.

  Mrs. Warren said it was the knocking about that made it so soft. But itcame out all right, jugged; and with the black currant jelly it wasreally,--but there! I dare say you know what it was.

  The Little Dauber]

  _Lazy people think they're clever. So won't work like common folk; But in life they'll prosper never, If all's true that I've heard spoke._

  THE LITTLE DAUBER.

  Mr Frampton was a fashionable portrait painter; and, one day when he wasout with his wife, young Richard, his son, who was quite a spoiled boy,fetched in some of his little acquaintances--two young gentlemen and onelady.

  "Now," said he, trying to look wise, "Miss Fanny, just stand withflowers in your hand while I paint you like a grand lady; and one of youquiz the work as it goes on, and the other pretend to be in raptureswith the portrait."

  "Will you write her name under it, when it's done?" asked Bobby Butt,who was always ready with his fun.

  "No," answered Richard, laughingly; "I shall make it a speakinglikeness."

  "Well, I'm glad of that," returned the lady; "for I shouldn't like to betaken with my mouth shut."

  So they went to work.

  Richard looked at the lady very sharp, particularly with his righteye,--you can see him; and Bob took a penny out of his pocket and heldit in front of him as if it were an eye-glass; and Frank put his rightleg out, and bent forward and said every now and then, "To a T!""Charming!" "Nature improved!" and other such flatteries.

  It was very well to say all this; but the truth must be told: whenRichard had painted the lady's head and neck, he had no more room on thecanvas; and what was done was so ugly, that the subject threw herbouquet at it. Then Richard sent it back again, at which she boxed hisears.

  "It certainly is like nothing in the world," said Bob, putting his handsbefore his eyes as he looked at the smudges.

  "Of course not," retorted Richard; "it's in the high school of art, andis not therefore meant to be natural!"

  "Oh! that alters the case," said Frank. After a bit they began to throwthe things about, and a terrible mess and rout they made.

  When they were quite tired, Richard said, "Now I'll show you all mytoys!" and he was about to go out of the studio to fetch them,--

  "Stay where you are!" cried his father, slyly entering. "You have beenspoiling my things, and romping where you have no business; I must setyou a task as a punishment, and your friends must go home at once."

  All the boys turned red enough without being painted; and Richard'sfather said, quite sternly, "Next time, before you, children, play with,and destroy property, just ask yourselves how you would like yourplaythings meddled with and broken?"

  The Busy Bees]

  _Oh! Boys and Girls can useful prove, If they will only try; And smile and work in some slight groove, As well as play or cry._

  THE BUSY BEES.

  Little Bob he fetched a board, And then began to saw,And Mary Jane said she'd afford Him help to do much more, While he used his--saw! saw! saw!

  Young Dick he held his mallet high, And struck the wedge quite bold,Until it made the wood quick fly Like feathers with no hold, Blown by the wind quite--cold! cold! cold!

  And John and James sawed up and down, John sawed up; James sawed low;The birds they flew all o'er the town To tell the folks these things were so, As if they did--know! know! know!

  They made some boxes, tops, and hoops, They fashioned bowls and chairs,They sold a thousand million scoops, And seven hundred stairs; And this Bob--declares! declares! declares!

  Eleven hundred sticks they cut, And all of them good size;With a five mile long water-butt, "In which to float," Tom cries, And "Time," they said--"flies! flies! flies!"

  Oh! work and play are very good, Work number one, you know;Play number two has ever stood The best in this world's show And it should be--so! so! so!

  Hence these young children played at work, And thus learnt to work well,And now their duties they ne'er shirk, Which is all I've to tell, And you to--spell! spell! spell!

  Or, maybe, read and then to write, Until you know it through;Which will to you give great delight, And mem'ry strengthen too, As you ought to--do! do! do!

  And, who knows, one day you may give Some stories to the young,To make your name through ages live And loud your praises sung. Keep your life well--strung! strung! strung!

  The Little Soldiers]

  _'Tis said 'That he who fights and runs away Is sure to live to fight another day;' But better to clear keep of ev'ry brawl, And then you'll never have to fight at all._

  THE LITTLE SOLDIERS.

  Robert and Henry Graham were handsome, rich little fellows; but veryfast and fond of imitating. Indeed, they were more like little men thanyoung boys. And as their parents gave them plenty of pocket-money, theydid many things that otherwise they would not have done. Added to this,they were spoiled by their father. You see, it's generally 'mother' whodoes this; so for a wonder we'll have a change.

  Well, one day the two boys went to the family tailor, and Robert said,very big, "Haw! measure us for two suits of military clothes, officers'ones, haw! and see that you send home with them at the same time--swords,muskets, canes, sentry box, tents, and all, haw! necessarythings forplaying at soldiers!"

  Now, don't let it slip out of your mind that a bit before this, theboys' rich uncle had bought them some beautiful sets of boxes ofsoldiers.

  When the clothes and other things came home, these young fellows,followed by the dog, w
hich they called their army, dressed themselves,cleverly set up their tents, and went to work in good earnest. Billy,the dog, sniffed at the butt of the musket to make quite sure that itwas not loaded. Robert put his glass to his right eye, and having postedHenry as a sentry, began to officer over, him, commanding him rathermore than his brother liked.

  It's not a nice thing to see a soldier cry; but if you look at Harry,you will find that he feels hurt very much.

  "Haw! hem! sir!" roared Robert, "with, haw! the help of my glass I see,haw! a speck of rust on one of your buttons, haw! as big as the tip of afly's eyelash!"

  The dog at this set up a howl. The howl called their mother's attentionto the garden, and then she saw them. With a funny smile she took alltheir toy soldiers and walked to her children.

  "Haw! Pre-sent, Fire!" cried Bob.

  "Certainly," said his mother; and almost before they knew what she wasabout, all the soldiers were set out, just like two armies, and Mrs.Graham called the gardener to lay a train of gunpowder, andcalled--mimicking Robert--"Present, Fire!" and set fire to it, and therewas heard a tremendous "pop," followed by a "puff," and then; no! therewasn't a bit of one of all those soldiers and horses left large enoughto make a match of.

  The boys began to cry.

  "Now," said their mother, "others, you see, can play at soldiers. Whatright had you to go to the tailor and order clothes of him! neither Inor your father gave you permission; I have a great mind to make you goto school in those soldiers' suits; and nice fun your play fellows wouldmake of you!"