嘉丽·霍华德/CarrieHoward
WhenIwasalittlegirl, mymothersatontheedgeofmybedeverynightandsangmetosleepinhersoftaltovoiceShesanglullabiesandoldfolksongs, .
Irememberwatchingmymotherandthinkinghowbeautifulshewas, , .
-awaitedbabydaughter, Tessa, homefromChinaattheageofelevenmonths, , IheldheracrossmylapinourbigoakrockingchairandsangthefamiliarlullabiesIhadwaitedsolongtosing:“Rock-a-Bye, Baby”“Twinkle, Twinkle, LittleStar”and“Hush, LittleBaby”Isangallsevenversesof“Hush, LittleBaby”whichIhadpainstakinglymemorizedinpreparationfortheoccasion.
'tquiteasleep, , , Ithought, sheneedsalittlemoretime, SoIsatbackdownandsangthelullabiesagain, ', throwingin“TheAlphabetSong”forgoodmeasure, 'slittleheadpoppedup, andshebegantowail.
WhenIhadvowedthatmychildwouldgetasmanybedtimesongsasshewanted, Ihadn'tcountedonthisparticularchild', ''tbeartoallowachildwhohadsorecentlylefttheorphanagetocryherselftosleep.
'.
Inthemonthsthatfollowed, 'spersonalratingsystem:Shefussedandfrownedwhenshedidn'tlikeasong, andcommanded,“Again, Mama,”whenshedidlikeone.
, butTessaisnojazzbaby, so“EmbraceableYou”didn', , buttherollingrhythmsof“RedRiverValley”“IRideanOldPaint”and“DownintheValley”aresoothing, , thesentimentalsongsthatwerepopularearlyinthelastcentury-“GoodNight, Ladies”“LetMeCallYouSweetheart”and“YouAreMySunshine”-arestilllovely, evenwhenthey', songslike“TheBigRockCandyMountain.”“I'veBeenWorkingontheRailroad”andTessa'sfavorite“TheRiddleSong”whichsheimmediatelydubbed“TheCherrySong”：
Igavemyloveacherrythathadnostone
