The Stepmother

First she come to our house, Tommy run and hid; And Emily and Bob and me We cried jus' like we did When Mother died,--and we all said 'At we all wisht 'at we was dead! And Nurse she couldn't stop us, And Pa he tried and tried,-- We sobbed and shook and wouldn't look, But only cried and cried; And nen someone--we couldn't jus' Tell who--was cryin' same as us! Our Stepmother! Yes, it was her, Her arms around us all-- 'Cause Tom slid down the bannister And peeked in from the hall.-- And we all love her, too, because She's purt nigh good as Mother was!