III.

“Alas!  Mrs. Broom,” sighed the Tongs in his song,
“Oh! is it because I’m so thin,
And my legs are so long,—­ding-a-dong, ding-a-dong!—­
That you don’t care about me a pin? 
Ah! fairest of creatures, when sweeping the room,
Ah! why don’t you heed my complaint? 
Must you needs be so cruel, you beautiful Broom,
Because you are covered with paint? 
Ding-a-dong, ding-a-dong! 
You are certainly wrong.”

IV.

Mrs. Broom and Miss Shovel together they sang,
“What nonsense you’re singing to-day!”
Said the Shovel, “I’ll certainly hit you a bang!”
Said the Broom, “And I’ll sweep you away!”
So the coachman drove homeward as fast as he could,
Perceiving their anger with pain;
But they put on the kettle, and little by little
They all became happy again. 
Ding-a-dong, ding-a-dong! 
There’s an end of my song.

THE TABLE AND THE CHAIR.

[Illustration]

I.

Said the Table to the Chair,
“You can hardly be aware
How I suffer from the heat
And from chilblains on my feet. 
If we took a little walk,
We might have a little talk;
Pray let us take the air,”
Said the Table to the Chair.

II.

Said the Chair unto the Table,
“Now, you know we are not able: 
How foolishly you talk,
When you know we cannot walk!”
Said the Table with a sigh,
“It can do no harm to try. 
I’ve as many legs as you: 
Why can’t we walk on two?”

III.

So they both went slowly down,
And walked about the town
With a cheerful bumpy sound
As they toddled round and round;
And everybody cried,
As they hastened to their side,
“See! the Table and the Chair
Have come out to take the air!”

IV.

But in going down an alley,
To a castle in a valley,
They completely lost their way,
And wandered all the day;
Till, to see them safely back,
They paid a Ducky-quack,
And a Beetle, and a Mouse,
Who took them to their house.

[Illustration]

V.

Then they whispered to each other,
“O delightful little brother,
What a lovely walk we’ve taken! 
Let us dine on beans and bacon.” 
So the Ducky and the leetle
Browny-Mousy and the Beetle
Dined, and danced upon their heads
Till they toddled to their beds.

[Illustration]

* * * * *

NONSENSE STORIES.

THE STORY OF THE FOUR LITTLE CHILDREN WHO WENT ROUND THE WORLD.

Once upon a time, a long while ago, there were four little people whose names were

[Illustration]