Nelli Macguire

"Nellie MacGuire" By Rachel Heffington Each little room in our house is so nice But the nicest of all, full of woodsmoke and spice, Is the kitchen--we almost don't dare to come in So we walk on our tip-toes and stick out our chins And peep `round the oven, just hoping to see That Nellie MacGuire is taking her tea. Her hair's shiny brown and her cheeks fairly glow And when she is happy she'll give us some dough. But if we peep in when her apron is tied (With a big, fiercesome knot sticking out at the side) Then she squawks like a hen with a new brood of eggs And she thumps bread like carpenters thumping in pegs. And if we are daring and step on the floor Nell counts up to three and she counts up to four. Then she purses her lips with a "look at you" face And sends us off packing right out of the place. But of course we come back and creep `round by the door And we see the spice rack full of bakery lore, The pantry shelves laden with bread light as silk And the dairy with cheeses and butter and milk. The fireplace gleaming, the huge iron pot, And the tea-kettle that sings a song when it's hot. The cab'net with china-blue flowers and white, The medicine for when we're sick in the night. And next to the window with sun streaming through Holding tea-cup with flowers, some white and some blue, Sits Nellie MacGuire with apron undone And we knew now's the time we can start having fun.