A LITTLE , toddling tot so fair,
Born of a wish, as springs a prayer
From out the bosom of desire —
Two little feet that never tire,
Two dimpled hands from mischief freed,
Two laughing eyes would pardon plead
Of heaven, nor can the mother hide
Her admiration while she chide: —
" N-n-no! "

The sweetest words to mortal ear
Beyond a doubt are: " Yes, my dear! "
But human nature's children show
A great dislike to mother's " No! "
And while they mind not well themselves,
They still insist, the little elves,
Their dollies shall, and with a frown
The finger 's up, the foot comes down: —
" No! No! "

'T is strange how fair some maidens grow,
And strange how every youth should know;
And stranger still that she should fall
In love with one, yet like them all;
To him her heart in love's excess
Goes out in sweetest, fondest " Yes! "
To all the others she can give
A tender, woundless negative: —
" N-no! "

The Bible brings one sin to mind
That heaven will not forgive mankind;
But human nature finds not one
The mother won't forgive her son:
However low, through drink, he falls,
Her love goes through the prison walls;
She 'll toil in want to fill his purse
And plead above his drunken curse: —
" No! No! No! "

Supremest valor oft we show;
When tempted most we answer, " No! "
Yet heroes of the battle claim
The glory of immortal name:
No doubt they earn quite all they get
Who face the foe's fixed bayonet.
Surrender? — While the foemen yell
They thunder back with shot and shell: —
" No! No! "

The righteous man lies dying here;
Pray ask him if he has a fear;
If he would yield his faith and live
For all this pompous world can give —
Inquire if he is sorry now
He loved his God — no matter how:
He shakes his head, with closing eyes,
A speechless negative — and dies: —
( No! No! )