The Little Glutton - a poem

mechanicmom · August 2009

From"Slovenly Betsy" (1911)
"The Little Glutton"

Oh! how this Mary loved to eat,-It was her chief delight; She would have something to eat, sour or sweet, to munch from morn til night. She to the pantry daily stole, and slyly she would take sugar, and plums, and sweetmeats, too, and apples, and nuts, and cake.

Her mother Mary oft reproved, but ah! it did no good; munch, nibble, chew, from morn to night, the little glutton would.

One day, upon some bee-hives near she chanced to cast her eyes; 'How nice that honey there must taste!' She cried, and off she flies. On tiptoe now the hives she nears, close up to them she creeps, and through the little window panes quite cautiously she peeps. 'Oh dear! how good it looks!' she cries, as she the honey sees; 'I must, I will, indeed, have some; It cannot hurt the bees.' And, then a hive she gently lifts,-Oh, foolish, foolish child,-down, down it falls-out swarm the bees buzzing with fury wild. With fright she shrieks, and tries to run, but ah! 'tis all in vain; upon her light the angry bees, and make her writhe in pain.

Four weeks and more did Mary lie upon her little bed. And, ah! instead of honey, she on medicine was fed. Her parents grieved so much at first their child so sick to see; But once more well, with joy they found her cured of gluttony!
:laugh:
MM