Poems (Schiller)/Up the hill a berrying

by Rebecca Jane Schiller

UP THE HILL A BERRYING

Once on a sunny summer morning,
 When the sun was up in the sky,
And the birds were singing merrily,
 And the dew on the grass was dry,
I thought I'd go a berrying,
 Must you know the reason why?
I think that you might easily guess,
 If you your thoughts would ply.

It was because a neighbor's daughter—
 Nellie was her name—
Went for berries on summer mornings,
 And I thought 'twould be a shame
For to let her fill her basket,
 For I knew it would be large;
So I thought I'd go and help her,
 So up the hill I made a charge.

"Nellie dear, your basket's large,
 I think too large for one to fill.
Mine is full so let me help you
 As we journey up the hill."
So we worked 'bout an hour,:
 Till we got her basket filled.
We sat it down—and up came Rover—
 And all of Nellie's berries spilled.

Then Nellie she began"to cry,
 When she thought she'd have to climb
Up the hill for some more berries—
 But I gave her some of mine.
"Oh," she said "how can I thank you?"
 "Nellie, dearest one," said I
"I'd rather give you all my berries
 Than to sit and see you cry."

"But Nellie, dearest, let me ask you,
 If you will be mine?
Shall I, alone, or will you help me
 The rugged hill of life to climb?"
She dropped her head and, blushing deeply,
 Answered me without delay,
"I will come and climb it with you,
 Just as we climbed the hill to-day."
[Written at 13 years.]