64 Bird Day Book 



A LITTLE MINISTER 



1KNOW a little minister who has a big degree ; 

 Just like a long-tailed kite he flies his D. D. D. D. D. 

 His pulpit is old-fashioned, though made out of growing pine ; 

 His great-grandfather preached in it in days of auld lang syne. 



Sometimes this little minister forgets his parson's airs — 

 I saw him turn a somersault right on the pulpit stairs ; 

 And once, in his old meeting-house, he flew into the steeple, 

 And rang a merry chime of bells to call the feathered people. 



He has a tiny help-meet, too, who wears a gown and cap, 

 And is so very wide-awake she seldom takes a nap ; 

 She preaches also sermonettes, with headlets one, two, three, 

 In singing monosyllables beginning each with D. 



But O her little minister she does almost adore — 



I've heard her call her sweet D. D. full twenty times or more. 



And his pet polysyllable — why, did you hear it never ? 



He calls her Phe-be B, so dear, I'd listen on forever. 



Now if there is a Bright Eyes small who'd like to go with me, 



And on his cautious tiptoes ten creep softly to a tree, 



I'll coax this little minister to quit his leafy perch, 



And show this little boy or girl the way to go to church. 



And where his cozy parsonage his hidden in the trees, 

 And how in summer it is full of little D. D. D.'s ; 

 And if Bright Eyes will prick his ears he'll hear the titmice say, 

 "Good-morning !" which in Chicadese is always, "Day, day, day." 



— Ella Gilbert Ives. 



