"
"Be off, you little rogue of rogues," I sternly made reply;
"It's wicked to be sitting up with sand in either eye.
"To bed, to bed, you sleepy head; and then, and then--who knows?--
Some day you'll be a grown-up girl, and lovely as a rose.
And some day some one else will come, a gallant youth and gay,
To harry me and marry you and carry you away."
At this the storm broke out afresh:--"You know I hate the boys;
They're only good at taking things, and breaking things, and noise.
So, Daddy, please remember this, because--I--want--you--to:--
I'll never marry any boy; I'll only marry _you_."
"Agreed," I cried--the imp, of course, had won the bout of wits;
Had gained her point and got her time and beaten me to fits--
"Agreed, agreed,"--she danced for joy--"we'll leave no room for doubt,
But bind ourselves with pen and ink, and write the contract out:-"
_This is a contract, firm and clear
Made, as doth from these presents appear,
Between Peggy, being now in her sixth year,
A child of laughter,
A sort of funny actress,
Referred to hereinafter
As the said contractress--
Between the said contractress, that is to say,
And a person with whom she is often good enough to play;
Who happens to have been something of a factor
In bringing her into the world, who, in short, is her father,
And is hereinafter spoken of as the said contractor.
Now the said contractress declares she would rather
Marry the said contractor than any other.
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