Josephine Heard, "When Do School Days End?" (1890)
A LITTLE child sat on the floor,
Turning the pages o'er and o'er,
Of Mother Goose's nursery book;
He raised his eyes with puzzled look,
And said, "Mamma, attention lend,
And tell me: Where do school days end?"
My boy, that is no easy task—
A weighty question 'tis you ask;
For every day adds to our store
Of knowledge gained the day before;
So you must ask some wiser friend
To tell you, where school days will end.
The parson came that very day,
His usual pastoral call to pay;
The child stole in with cunning look,
And on a stool his seat he took.
Sir, will you information lend,
And tell me, where school days will end?
The parson with astonished air,
Pushed his fingers through his hair:
Little child I am much afraid
That I can give but little aid;
But my best efforts I will lend,
To tell you, where school days will end.
There is a land of light you know,
Where all good people are to go—
Where little children rob'd in white
Are ever happy in God's sight,
And when you die He'll angels send,
To take you where school days shall end.
Published in Morning Glories, 1890