“No mind!” the little maiden cried
In half-indignant tone,
“To think that I should be denied
A mind to call my own!”
And echo heard, and softly sighed (or seemed to sigh) “My own!”
“No mind!” the little maiden said,
“You’d think it, I suppose!
And yet you know I’ve got a head
With chin, cheek, mouth, eye, nose—”
And echo heard, and sweetly said (or seemed to say) “I knows!”
“You have no mind to be unkind,”
Said echo in her ear:
“No mind to bring a living thing
To suffering or fear.
For all that’s bad, or mean, or sad, you have no mind, my dear.”
Then if the friend whom you deride,
To all your merits blind,
Should say that, though he’s tried and tried,
Your mind he cannot find …
’Tis but a jest for Christmas-tide, so, Janet, never mind!