When Mother Went Away by Carolyn S. Bailey

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Sep 15, 1904

When Mother Went Away

By Carolyn S. Bailey

O, VERY many weeks ago, There was a dreadful day; The very worst I ever knew, For mother went away.

And we all promised to be good, And mind Aunt Jane as children should.

But baby chewed the Noah's ark, Which made him very ill; And Kenneth opened father's ink— The kind that's sure to spill; And Ted fell down and bumped his head So very hard, he went to bed.

Then nobody at all was left To play, but only me. And so I thought I'd live a while Up in the apple-tree. But then I tore my sailor dress In fourteen places, more or less.

And all of us just cried a peck Of tears, or maybe more, Until the silk of mother's skirts Came swishing in the door. I think she'll never go again— At least she said she wouldn't—then.

—Carolyn S. Bailey.