mis'chiev ous, _full of mischief; troublesome_.
grub, _dig up by the roots_.
* * * * *
THE ILL-NATURED BRIER
Little Miss Brier came out of the ground,
She put out her thorns, and scratched ev'ry thing 'round.
"I'll just try," said she,
"How bad I can be;
At pricking and scratching, there are few can match me."
Little Miss Brier was handsome and bright,
Her leaves were dark green, and her flowers pure white;
But all who came nigh her
Were so worried by her,
They'd go out of their way to keep clear of the Brier.
Little Miss Brier was looking one day
At her neighbor, the Violet, over the way;
"I wonder," said she,
"That no one pets me,
While all seem so glad little Violet to see."
A sober old Linnet, who sat on a tree,
Heard the speech of the Brier, and thus answered he:
"'Tis not that she's fair,
For you may compare
In beauty with even Miss Violet there;
"But Violet is always so pleasant and kind,
So gentle in manner, so humble in mind,
E'en the worms at her feet
She would never ill-treat,
And to Bird, Bee, and Butterfly always is sweet.
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