London Town

The Tower

Prue has wandered high and wandered low Through Norman chapel and dungeon cell; The grand Crown Jewels that sparkle so, And the Traitor's Gate, she has seen as well.

She has looked from the walls on the River, too, And spent in the Armouries nearly an hour: Ah! holiday folks like our Miss Prue Enjoy themselves when they come to the Tower!

But the Tower was a prison, in days of old, And few who got into it ever came out, Though now we can visit the grim stronghold Any day of the week, without fear or doubt.

The Omnibus

Every day along the streets of mighty London Town Nine hundred omnibuses rumble up and down. When you're tired of walking, call "Hi! Conductor, stop!" And he'll give you such a jolly ride, for twopence, on the top.

Sometimes by the 'bus's side small boys will run a mile, Turning round just like the wheels, and hungry all the while:-- "We've not had any breakfast,--won't you toss us down a brown?"-- That's what they call a penny in the streets of London Town.

The Penny-Ice Man

In summer when the sun is high, And children's lips are parched and dry, An ice is just the thing to try. So this young man who comes, 'tis plain, From Saffron Hill or Leather Lane, A store of pence will quickly gain. "A lemon ice for me," says Fred; Cries Sue, "No, have a cream instead." "A raspberry!" shouts Newsboy Ned. "What fun! Although we're now in June, It feels"--says Ned--"this afternoon, Like eating winter with a spoon!"

Covent Garden

This is Covent Garden, What a lively scene! Here are flowers so pretty, There are leaves so green. These are busy buyers, Busy sellers those, Selling, buying, selling, Everything that grows.

Fruits and lovely blossoms Hither come each day, Fresh from other gardens Many miles away. Cabbages potatoes, Pears and apples too, Grapes, and pines, and peaches, All are here on view.

So the air is scented With the pleasant fruits, With the bright-hued nosegays, And the springing roots. For the little street-boys, Walking up and down, It's almost like the country Brought to London Town.

The Penny-Toy Man

"Toys! toys! Penny Toys! Toys for girls, and toys for boys! Toys for dots who scarce can crawl, Toys for youngsters stout and tall, Toys for prince and peasant too, Toys, my dears, for all of you! Toys for girls and toys for boys! Toys! toys! Penny Toys!"

That is how the toyman talks, As through London Town he walks; Bawling out his toyman's song, While he slowly moves along, On the pavement with a tray Which is filled, from day to day, With new toys to catch the eye Of the youthful passer-by.

Sometimes it's a great big spider, Like that Miss Muffet had beside her; Sometimes it's a bat that flies, Or a baby doll that cries; Sometimes it's a frog that leaps, Or a crocodile that creeps: But whatever toy is shown, For a penny it's your own.

The Orange Girl

Orange-girl Kitty Here you may see. That she is pretty All will agree. "Three for a penny!" That is her cry; No wonder many Hasten to buy.

Orange-girl Kitty's Mother, we're told, Everyone pities-- So feeble and old. Poor mother's living Kitty obtains, Cheerfully giving Her all that she gains.

Orange-girl Kitty Roams to and fro; All through the city She's known high and low. When the sun's shining, When the rain falls, Never repining,-- "Fine fruit!" Kitty calls.

The First of May

Chimney Sweeps' Day, Blackbird is gay, Here he is singing, you see, in the "May." He has feathers as black as a chimney sweep's coat, So on Chimney Sweeps' Day he must pipe a glad note.

Jack-in-the-Green from door to door Capers along with his followers four. As May Day mummers are seldom seen, Let us all give a copper to Jack-in-the-Green.

St. James's Park

What a countrified scene we have here! Who would think London Town was so near, That its murmur comes borne on the breeze To the listener under the trees?

To this spot, to buy biscuits or buns, Each city child joyously runs. But the Park's greatest treat, they all vow, Is a glass of new milk from the cow.

Cried the drake to the ducks, "Here's a boy with a bun, Come, make haste! we shall have quite a feast!" "Would you mind," said a swan, "if we shared in the fun?" "O dear no!" said he; "not in the least!" It was surely through fear, not politeness at all, That the drake made so civil a speech, For that one penny bun, after all, was so small, There was hardly a mouthful for each!

From the ducks and the swans on the lake, to next page-- A much quieter scene--you may pass: Though Westminster Cloisters are hoary with age, Yet green is their velvety grass, And cheerily bright are their gables and peaks, As they glow in the westering sun: 'Tis some house in the Cloisters yon schoolboy seeks-- Don't you wonder, now, which is the one?

Westminster Abbey

In all the land A pile so grand Is scarcely found As this. Around Its old grey walls The shadow falls Of bygone years, And so one fears To raise one's tone, When one is shown Some ancient tomb, Half hid in gloom. Beneath such stones There rest the bones Of monarchs bold, Whose story's told For you and me In history.

From kings of men We wander; then We're quickly brought To kings of thought, For poets lie Interred hard by. Here, too, repose The bones of those Who fought the foe Long, long ago. Brave knights were they; And in the fray They kept from shame The English name, And proved in fight Great Britain's might. Where they are laid Their rest is made As sweet as prayer By music rare: Over their head The sleeping dead Can daily hear The anthem clear Floating along Like angel's song, Until it dies Like angel's sighs.

On the way to the British Museum

Not far from the British Museum there stands An apple stall, painted bright green, Whence a penny may buy from the stall-keeper's hands Three apples, all rosy and clean.

Now the girls of St. George's great Charity School Very often are passing that way, For their governors wise make this very good rule-- They must go for a walk every day.

How wistful the glances they cast as they pass, How they long for an apple to eat; But their pockets are quite without pennies, alas! To purchase so dainty a treat.

These maidens have cheeks that are rosy and sweet As the choicest of fruit on the stall, And the very next time that we meet in this street, I'll buy apples enough for them all.

Goodness gracious! What a noise Baby Bunting's bent on making; It is quite enough to set All the heads around him aching. Still we're sure that Baby has Many griefs if we could see 'em, For with other babes he's come Miles and miles to the Museum. Baby Bunting thought, of course, When he said good bye to mother, That he'd pass in through the gates With big sister and big brother. But poor Baby finds, alas, That his little hopes have flitted, For the nasty notice says "Babes in arms are not admitted."

And beautiful statues from Greece and from Rome, And other fine things without end,-- You will find you can see half the world here at home, If a day in this place you will spend.

The Underground Railway

Who is this in the Weighing Chair? Why, little Dot, I do declare! Three stone five! "So much as that?" Calls out Miss Dot; "then I must be fat!"

On this and the opposite page you see Dot's mother, and brother, and sisters three. They wait for an underground train to come And carry them swiftly back to their home.

Wonderful trains! From morn till night, Clattering through tunnels without daylight, Hither and thither they run, up and down, Beneath the streets of London Town.

Many prefer these trains instead Of the cabs and "Busses" overhead, For they run much faster than horses can. Miss Dot's papa is a busy man,

And goes to the City every day By the "Underground,"--the quickest way: And One Hundred Millions of people, 'tis found, Are carried each year by the "Underground."

The Zoological Gardens

Away we go to the famous Zoo' With Bertie, and Nellie, and Dick, and Sue. And we feel quite ready to jump for glee When the wonderful birds and beasts we see. The pelican solemn with monster beak, And the plump little penguin round and sleek, Have set us laughing--Ha, ha! Ho! ho! And you'll laugh too, if you look below. To the monkey-house then we make our way, Where the monkeys chatter, and climb, and play; At the snakes we peep, then onward stroll, To talk to the parrots, and "scratch a poll," And after all that, there will still be time On the patient elephant's back to climb.

The Bear & the Buns

Don't forget at the Zoo' To take a good view Of the funny old bear, Who climbs out of his lair Up a pole--Look, he's here, With his figure so queer, And his thick clumsy paws, And his bun-seeking jaws. On the end of a stick Place a bun--"Now quick, Master Bertie"--and, snap!-- What an awful red trap!-- The bun's out of sight, But one more will delight Father Bruin up there, For his appetite's rare, And he never says "No" To a dozen or so.