Part 10

And down to the swing in the locust-tree, Where the grass was worn from the trampled ground, And where "Eck" Skinner, "Old" Carr, and three Or four such other boys used to be Doin' "sky-scrapers," or "whirlin' round": And again Bob climbed for the bluebird's nest, And again "had shows" in the buggy-shed Of Guymon's barn, where still, unguessed, The old ghosts romp through the best days dead!

And again I gazed from the old schoolroom With a wistful look, of a long June day, When on my cheek was the hectic bloom Caught of Mischief, as I presume-- He had such a "partial" way, It seemed, toward me.--And again I thought Of a probable likelihood to be Kept in after school--for a girl was caught Catching a note from me.

And down through the woods to the swimming-hole-- Where the big, white, hollow, old sycamore grows,-- And we never cared when the water was cold, And always "ducked" the boy that told On the fellow that tied the clothes.-- When life went so like a dreamy rhyme, That it seems to me now that then The world was having a jollier time Than it ever will have again.

The crude production is received, I am glad to note, with some expressions of favor from the company though Bob, of course, must heartlessly dissipate my weak delight by saying, "Well, it's certainly bad enough; though," he goes on with an air of deepest critical sagacity and fairness, "considered, as it should be, justly, as the production of a jour.-poet, why, it might be worse--that is, a little worse."

"Probably," I remember saying,--"probably I might redeem myself by reading you this little amateurish bit of verse, enclosed to me in a letter by mistake, not very long ago." I here fish an envelope from my pocket, the address of which all recognize as in Bob's almost printed writing. He smiles vacantly at it--then vividly colors.

"What date?" he stoically asks.

"The date," I suggestively answer, "of your last letter to our dear Doc, at boarding-school, two days exactly in advance of her coming home--this veritable visit now."

Both Bob and Doc rush at me--but too late. The letter and contents have wholly vanished. The youngest Miss Mills quiets us--urgently distracting us, in fact, by calling our attention to the immediate completion of our joint production; "For now," she says, "with our new reinforcement, we can, with becoming diligence, soon have it ready for both printer and engraver, and then we'll wake up the boy (who has been fortunately slumbering for the last quarter of an hour), and present to him, as designed and intended, this matchless creation of our united intellects." At the conclusion of this speech we all go good-humoredly to work, and at the close of half an hour the tedious, but most ridiculous, task is announced completed.

As I arrange and place in proper form here on the table the separate cards-twenty-seven in number-- I sigh to think that I am unable to transcribe for you the best part of the nonsensical work--the illustrations. All I can give is the written copy of--

BILLY'S ALPHABETICAL ANIMAL SHOW

A WAS an elegant Ape Who tied up his ears with red tape, And wore a long veil Half revealing his tail Which was trimmed with jet bugles and crape.

B was a boastful old Bear Who used to say,--"Hoomh! I declare I can eat--if you'll get me The children, and let me-- Ten babies, teeth, toe-nails and hair!"

C was a Codfish who sighed When snatched from the home of his pride, But could he, embrined, Guess this fragrance behind, How glad he would be to have died!

D was a dandified Dog Who said,--"Though it's raining like fog I wear no umbrellah, Me boy, for a fellah Might just as well travel incog!"

E was an elderly Eel Who would say,--"Well, I really feel-- As my grandchildren wriggle And shout 'I should giggle'-- A trifle run down at the heel!"

F was a Fowl who conceded SOME hens might hatch more eggs than SHE did,-- But she'd children as plenty As eighteen or twenty, And that was quite all that she needed.

G was a gluttonous Goat Who, dining one day, table d'hote, Ordered soup-bone, au fait, And fish, papier-mache, And a filet of Spring overcoat,

H was a high-cultured Hound Who could clear forty feet at a bound, And a coon once averred That his howl could be heard For five miles and three-quarters around.

I was an Ibex ambitious To dive over chasms auspicious; He would leap down a peak And not light for a week, And swear that the jump was delicious.

J was a Jackass who said He had such a bad cold in his head, If it wasn't for leaving The rest of us grieving, He'd really rather be dead.

K was a profligate Kite Who would haunt the saloons every night; And often he ust To reel back to his roost Too full to set up on it right.

L was a wary old Lynx Who would say,--"Do you know wot I thinks?-- I thinks ef you happen To ketch me a-nappin' I'm ready to set up the drinks!"

M was a merry old Mole, Who would snooze all the day in his hole, Then--all night, a-rootin' Around and galootin'-- He'd sing "Johnny, Fill up the Bowl!"

N was a caustical Nautilus Who sneered, "I suppose, when they've CAUGHT all us, Like oysters they'll serve us, And can us, preserve us, And barrel, and pickle, and bottle us!"

O was an autocrat Owl-- Such a wise--such a wonderful fowl! Why, for all the night through He would hoot and hoo-hoo, And hoot and hoo-hooter and howl!

P was a Pelican pet, Who gobbled up all he could get; He could eat on until He was full to the bill, And there he had lodgings to let!

Q was a querulous Quail, Who said: "It will little avail The efforts of those Of my foes who propose To attempt to put salt on my tail!"

R was a ring-tailed Raccoon, With eyes of the tinge of the moon, And his nose a blue-black, And the fur on his back A sad sort of sallow maroon.