Читать книгу Our Boys - Various - Страница 9

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eddy is out upon the lake;

His oars a softened click-clack make;

On all that water bright and blue,

His boat is the only one in view;

So, when he hears another oar

Click-clack along the farthest shore,

"Heigh-ho," he cries, "out for a row!

Echo is out! heigh-ho—heigh-ho!"

"Heigh-ho, heigh-ho!"

Sounds from the distance, faint and low.

Then Teddy whistles that he may hear

Her answering whistle, soft and clear;

Out of the greenwood, leafy, mute,

Pipes her mimicking, silver flute,

And, though her mellow measures are

Always behind him half a bar,

'Tis sweet to hear her falter so;

And Ted calls back, "Bravo, bravo!"

"Bravo, bravo!"

Comes from the distance, faint and low.

She laughs at trifles loud and long;

Splashes the water, sings a song;

Tells him everything she is told,

Saucy or tender, rough or bold;

One might think from the merry noise

That the quiet wood was full of boys,

Till Ted, grown tired, cries out, "Oh, no!

'Tis dinner time and I must go!"

"Must go? must go?"

Sighs from the distance, sad and low.

When Ted and his clatter are away,

Where does the little Echo stay?

Perched on a rock to watch for him?

Or keeping a lookout from some limb?

If he were to push his boat to land,

Would he find her footprint on the sand?

Or would she come to his blithe "hello,"

Red as a rose, or white as snow?

Ah no, ah no!

Never can Teddy see Echo!

MRS. CLARA DOTY BATES.