我将写下我早年生活的小品，它将是童年的一天，所有有机会读到它的人，不要批评，祈祷。我的童年是快乐的，但追忆已逝的日子和很久以前的情景，我的心却充满了悲哀。在我的童年早期，肯特郡非常荒凉，尤其是我小时候住过的城镇。我不会讲我的出生地，因为如果你只看这小书里的小诗《我的童年》。我不以我生来的名分为耻、虽然家境贫寒。在我们的国中、有许多贫寒的人兴起为大。我知道我的父母很穷，但他们都是好朋友。在我的家乡，他们是可敬的，受人尊敬的。我的母亲病了很多年，我是长女，我为她的生活加油。我有两个小妹妹，还有一个有三个孩子的哥哥，我亲爱的母亲病了，他们的照顾落在了我的身上。我父母在23年前搬到阿尔戈马，买了100英亩的地，你知道那是个很大的农场。 It was then a wilderness, With tall forest trees abound, And it was four miles from a village, Or any other town. And it was two miles from a schoolhouse, That's the distance I had to go, And how many times I traveled Through summer suns and winter snow. How well do I remember Going to school many a morn, Both in summer and in winter, Through many a heavy storm. My heart was gay and happy, This was ever in my mind, There is better times a coming, And I hope some day to find Myself capable of composing. It was by heart's delight, To compose on a sentimental subject If it came in my mind just right. If I went to school half the time, It was all that I could do; It seems very strange to me sometimes, And it may seem strange to you. It was natural for me to compose, And put words into rhyme, And the success of my first work Is this little song book of mine. My childhood days have passed and gone, And it fills my heart with pain To think that youth will nevermore Return to me again. And now kind friends, what I have wrote, I hope you will pass o'er, And not criticise as some have done, Hitherto herebefore.