"Whenever you dress me dolls, mammy,
         Why do you dress them so,
And make them gallant soldiers,
        When never a one I know;
And not as gentle ladies
        With frills and frocks and curls,
As people dress the dollies
        Of other little girls?"

Ah—why did she not answer:-
        "Because your mammy's heed
Is always gallant soldiers,
        As well may be, indeed.
One of them was your daddy,
        His name I must not tell;
He's not the dad who lives here,
        But one I love too well."