May
14, 2000
From:
Mary Clare Rose
Hi
When I was growing up, Pop (my father, your grandfather)
used to sing songs to us younger children when we
were riding in the car. Ed, Fran, George and I were
often called "the four babies." (I don't know if he
ever sang to the older children - he could be very
stern - but he had mellowed by the time we younger
ones were growing up.)
One
of his "ditties" went: "There's a lady by the
river with a sliver in her liver. Did she shiver?
Well, I say she did!"
One
song was called "Two Little Boys." I had not heard
it for years when back in the 60's I bought a recording
of it on a 45 record. The song was sung by Noel Harrison,
son of Rex Harrison. (I've never heard any thing more
of Noel Harrison, before or since that record.) I
still have that 45 record, but don't have anything
to play it on now! However, recently, I came across
"Two Little Boys" on a CD collection of songs from
the Civil War. It always reminds me of Pop.
Here it is.
Love,
Mary Clare
Two Little Boys
Two little boys
had two little toys
Each had a wooden horse
Gayly they played each summer day
Warriors both of course.
One little chap,
he had a mishap
and broke off his horse's head
He wept for his toy, then cried with joy
When he heard his brother say
"Do you think I could leave you crying
When there's room on my horse for you
Climb up here, Joe, and stop your crying
We'll mend up your horse with glue.
"When we grow
up, we'll both be soldiers
And our horses will not be toys
And maybe you will remember when we were two little
boys."
Long years had
passed and war came at last
And bravely they marched away
Cannons roared loud amid the wild crowd
Where wounded and dying Jack lay
Then came a cry, a rider dashed by out from the ranks
of Blue
He galloped away to where Jack lay.
Then he heard his brother say
"Did you think I could leave you dying
When there's room on my horse for two
Climb up here, Jack,
We'll soon be flying to the ranks of the boys in Blue."
"Can't you see,
Joe,
I'm all atremble It may be the flash and the noise,
Or it may be because I remember
When we were two little boys."
