Our little Bertram, six years old,
Sat on his grandpa's knee,
Enjoying to the full the love
That grandpa gave so free,
When, looking up bewitchingly,
He said,—the little teaze,—
"Will grandpa give me just one cent
To buy some candy, please?"
Who could resist such loveliness?
This grandpa could not, sure.
So with a kiss he gave the cent—
Ah, how such things allure!
No sooner was the cent in hand,
Than off the fair boy ran
To buy his candy, "'lasses kind,"
Or little "candy-man."
Now on his way, in scanning well
A window full of toys,
He spied a ring with big red stone,
O'erlooked by other boys.
All thought of candy was forgot.
He'd buy that ring so fine
For his new sister, Rosamond—
Oh, how his eyes did shine!
How could he stop to calculate
The size of such a thing;
His only care was for the price—
Would one cent buy the ring?
Ah yes, it would. The ring was bought;
And never girl or boy
Went tripping homeward through the streets
With greater wealth or joy.