Phebe, the Blackberry Girl Uncle Thomas's Stories for Good Children

Excerpt

“Why, Phebe, are you come so soon,
Where are your berries, child?
You cannot, sure, have sold them all,
You had a basket pil’d.”
“No, mother, as I climb’d the fence,
The nearest way to town,
My apron caught upon a stake,
And so I tumbled down.
“I scratched my arm, and tore my hair,
But still did not complain;
And had my blackberries been safe,
Should not have cared a grain.
Phebe and her Mother.“But when I saw them on the ground
All scattered by my side,
I pick’d my empty basket up,
And down I sat and cried.
“Just then a pretty little Miss
Chanced to be walking by;
She stopp’d, and looking pitiful,
She begg’d me not to cry.
“‘Poor little girl, you fell,’ said she,
‘And must be sadly hurt’—
‘O, no,’ I cried, ‘but see my fruit,
All mixed with sand and dirt!’
“‘Well, do not grieve for that,’ she said
‘Go home, and get some more:’
Ah, no, for I have stripp’d the vines,
These were the last they bore.
“My father, Miss, is very poor,
And works in yonder stall;
He has so many little ones,
He cannot clothe us all.
“I always long’d to go to church,
But never could I go;
For when I ask’d him for a gown,
He always answer’d, ‘No.’
“‘There’s not a father in the world
That loves his children more;
I’d get you one with all my heart,
But, Phebe, I am poor.’
“But when the blackberries were ripe
He said to me one day,
‘Phebe, if you will take the time
That’s given you for play,
“‘And gather blackberries enough,—
And carry them to town,—
To buy your bonnet and your shoes,
I’ll try to get a gown.’
Phebe and Billy going to School.“O Miss, I fairly jumped for joy,
My spirits were so light:
And so, when I had leave to play,
I pick’d with all my might.
“I sold enough to get my shoes,
About a week ago;
And these, if they had not been spilt,
Would buy a bonnet too.
“But now they are gone, they all are gone
And I can get no more,
And Sundays I must stay at home
Just as I did before.
“And, mother, then I cried again,
As hard as I could cry;
And, looking up, I saw a tear
Was standing in her eye.
“She caught her bonnet from her head—
‘Here, here,’ she cried, ‘take this!’
O, no, indeed—I fear your ’ma
Would be offended Miss.
“‘My ’ma! no, never! she delights
All sorrow to beguile;
And ’tis the sweetest joy she feels,
To make the wretched smile.
“‘She taught me when I had enough,
To share it with the poor:
And never let a needy child
Go empty from the door.
The Church the Blackberry Girl went to.“‘So take it, for you need not fear
Offending her, you see;
I have another, too, at home,
And one’s enough for me.’
“So then I took it,—here it is—
For pray what could I do?
And, mother, I shall love that Miss
As long as I love you.”

THE BLACKBERRY GIRL.

PART II.

Phebe with a Basket of Berries.“Whathave you in that basket, child?”
“Blackberries, Miss, all pick’d to-day;
They’re very large and fully ripe;
Do look at them, and taste them pray.”
“O yes: they’re very nice, indeed....