Whimsicalities - 1844 Author:Thomas Hood Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: TO MY DAUGHTER. ON HKH BIRTHDAY. Dear Fanny ! nine long years ago, While yet the morning sun was low, And rosy with the Eastern glow The landscape smil... more »'d — Whilst low'd the newly-wakened herds— Sweet as the early song of birds, I heard those first, delightful words, "Thou hast a Child!" Along with that uprising dew Tears glisten'd in my eyes, though few, To hail a dawning quite as new To me, as Time : It was not sorrow—not annoy— But like a happy maid, though coy, With grief-like welcome even Joy Forestals its prime. So mayst thou live, dear ! many years, In all the bliss that life endears, Not without smiles, nor yet from tears Too strictly kept: When first thy infant littleness I folded in my fond caress, The greatest proof of happiness Was this—I wept. A SEA-TOTALLER. THE SHORT PLEDGE. " I'll tell you what it is," said the President of the Social Glassites, at the same time mixing a fresh tumbler of grog—rather stiffer than the last —for the subject of Temperance and Tea-totalism had turned up, and he could not discuss it with dry lips—" I'll tell you what it is: Temperance isall very well, provided it's indulged in with moderation, and without injury to your health or business; but when it sets a man spouting, and swaggering, and flag-carrying, and tea-gardening, and dressing himself up like a play-actor, why he might as well have his mind unsobered with anything else." " That's very true," said the Vice-president,—a gentleman with a remarkably red nose. " I have seen many Teatotal Processions," continued the President, " and I don't hesitate to say, that every man and woman amongst them was more or less intoxicated—" " Eh, what?" asked a member, hastily removing his cigar. " Yes, intoxicated, I say, with pride...« less