<h2><SPAN name="MY_LITTLE_MAID" id="MY_LITTLE_MAID"></SPAN>My Little Maid</h2>
<div class="poetry">
<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0"><span class="letra">M</span>Y little maid, my little maid,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">You grow too old, I am afraid,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Your birthday, is it? Tell me dear,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">How long ago did you come here?<br/></span>
<span class="i0">What? five to-day—how tall you grow!<br/></span>
<span class="i0">I wish time would not hurry so,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">I wish he’d just go on his way,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Nor call on us for many a-day.<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i2">Stay in the baby-world so new,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Its flowers are drowning in the dew,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Its paths are soft to tender feet,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Stay in the baby-world my sweet!<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">My little maid, my little maid,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">You grow too old, I am afraid,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">The questions trembling on your tongue<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Tell me you are no longer young,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">How many hours are in the year?<br/></span>
<span class="i0">How high up is the heaven clear?<br/></span>
<span class="i0">And do the ships, so big and grand<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Go sailing to some other land?<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="page_197" id="page_197"></SPAN>{197}</span><br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i2">Stay in the baby-world so new,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Its flowers are drowning in the dew,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Its paths are soft to tender feet,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Stay in the baby-world, my sweet!<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">My little maid, my little maid,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">You grow too old, I am afraid,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">The schoolhouse holds your steady gaze,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Your mind is in a wondrous maze,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">So much to learn, so much to see,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">You’re just as busy as can be,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">My nursery rhymes have all been told,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Red Riding-Hood will soon be old.<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i2">Stay in the baby-world so new,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Its flowers are drowning in the dew,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Its paths are soft to tender feet,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Stay in the baby-world my sweet!<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">My little maid, my little maid,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">You grow too old, I am afraid,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Your tender face it seems to me,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Is filled full of expectancy.<br/></span>
<span class="i0">A spirit questioning, and wise<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Looks out at me from your dark eyes,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Till I am fain to hold you fast<br/></span>
<span class="i0">And hide you while old Time goes past.<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="page_198" id="page_198"></SPAN>{198}</span><br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i2">Stay in the baby-world so new,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Its flowers are drowning in the dew,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Its paths are soft to tender feet,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Stay in the baby-world my sweet!<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">My little maid, my little maid,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">You grow too old, I am afraid,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Five years! it seems a little while<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Since you came here with slow sweet smile<br/></span>
<span class="i0">On your wee mouth, your pretty chin,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">And each cheek with a dimple in,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Your soft hands clutching at the air,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Your birthright all our love and care.<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i2">Stay in the baby-world so new,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Its flowers are drowning in the dew,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Its paths are soft to tender feet,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Stay in the baby-world my sweet.<br/></span></div>
</div></div>
<p class="c"><ANTIMG src="images/deco.png" width-obs="25" alt="[Decorative image unavailable.]" /></p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="page_199" id="page_199"></SPAN>{199}</span></p>
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