THE CHIMNEY ELVES

By Ruth Plumly Thompson
Author of Grampa in Oz, "The Wizard of Pumperdink", "King, King! Double King!", etc.

Originally published in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, December 13, 1914.


If we're all by our lonesome,
And all by ourselves -
I'll tell you a tale
Of some comical elves.
They live in the chimneys
As quiet as mouses
In the very tip-toppety
Top of our houses.
They live in the chimneys,
And little elf stairs
Lead up and down
And everywheres,
To little elf rooms
In the chimney wall -
With elfin beds
And elf chairs small!
And here these comical
Gray little elves
Keep house with their babies
Their wives and themselves!
But let me tell you,
They only stay
In the houses where good
Little children play.
Sometimes at night
When we all are sleeping,
Down the chimney
The elves come creeping;
And just like merry
Girls and boys
They play with the dolls
And the other toys.
Or, sometimes they skip
With a hoppety-hop
Up their elfin stairs
And come out on top
Of the chimneys, and each
On his silver guitar
Sings his quaint elfin song
To his favorite star.
Or other times
When the wind is high
They ride their smoke horses
Across the blue sky!
But NOW - Oh, now
They're busy as bees -
They have no time
For things like these!
They're watching, listening,
Looking, peeping
For Good St. Nick
A record keeping
Of all good children -
And dears, Oh, hark!
On the chimney tops
They'll put a mark
To guide St. Nicholas
And his sleigh
To good children's chimneys
Right away!
And that is why
Since we're all by ourselves
I've told you the tale
Of these comical elves.

THE FORGETFUL POET

By Ruth Plumly Thompson
Originally published in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, May 20, 1917.

The Puzzle Department

Every one enjoyed Mr. G. Ography and the Forgetful Poet's puzzle last week and much to their surprise hundreds of correct answers tumbled in. The cities were Wheeling, Mobile, Cologne, Paris, Salem, Stockholm and Rome.

How many boy and girl names can you find among the flowers? The Forgetful Poet found ten. Did you ever see a flying horse?

A Poem About Mr. Jones

Now, Mr. Jones walked out, my dears,
So gay and neat and ------ ;
I'm pretty sure somehow he's got
A pretty good excuse

For his apparel, and he hurries
So he won't be late;
Aha, I think with Mistress Brown
He has a little ------.

Down toward the sea he makes his way
And there upon the ------
Waits Mistress Brown. I told you so,
Not long he takes to reach

Her side. Says he, "When I'm away
From you I really ------.
Do you suppose you might consent
To evermore be mine?"

Miss Brown pushed back her white fox ------
And said she guessed he'd do for her;
I can't be sure that this is true,
But I think, she added, I love ------!

The Forgetful Poet says that the missing words are trees. How can words be trees? Well, I leave it to you, for I think you understand the dear chap better than I do.

[Answers next time.]

Copyright © 2003 Eric Shanower and David Maxine. All rights reserved.