George And The Chimney Sweep, Adelaide O’Keeffe was an Irish poet and novelist who was best known for her highly successful collections of verse written especially for children. She was also responsible for historical novels such as Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, written in 1814. This was a novel with strong religious themes throughout, focusing on conversions from paganism to Judaism and also from Judaism to Christianity. She also made other significant contributions to pedagogical literature, offering readers the chance to benefit from her religious training methods.
George And The Chimney Sweep by Adelaide Okeeffe
George And The Chimney Sweep
HIS petticoats now George cast off,
For he ws four years old;
His trousers were of nankeen stuff,
With buttons bright as gold.
“May I,” said George, “just go abroad,
My pretty clothes to show?
May I, mamma? but speak the word;”
The answer was, “No, no.”
“Go, run below, George, in the court,
But go not in the street,
Lest boys with you should make some sport,
Or gipsies you should meet.”
Yet, though forbidden, he went out,
That other boys might spy,
And proudly there he walk’d about,
And thought–”How fine am I!”But whilst he strutted through the street,
With looks both vain and pert,
A sweep-boy pass’d, whom not to meet,
He slipp’d–into the dirt.
The sooty lad, whose heart was kind,
To help him quickly ran,
And grasp’d his arm, with–”Never mind,
You’re up, my little man.”
Sweep wiped his clothes with labour vain,
And begg’d him not to cry;
And when he’d blacken’d every stain,
Said, “Little sir, good-bye.”
Poor George, almost as dark as sweep,
And smear’d in dress and face,
Bemoans with sobs, both loud and deep,
His well-deserved disgrace.