Part 21 (2/2)
”Laws, how he shuck it--dat Jip did--yer aunt's beyeutiful cap with the new puppel ribbons! Ye see it tumbled off; I dunno wedder she sneezed, or wot she did, but anyway, it tumbled off on de flo', and dat little pison scamp jumped up from his rug an' cotched it, an' she a-callin'
an'a-callin, fit ver die--I'll snake dat Viny w'en I gets her.--Lawks, but I couldn't help it! I laughed till I cried to see dat dog carry on.
Luckily I run up just when I did to pay my 'specs to de Missis, for--I stopped him, I stopped him,” she brought herself up to declare, wiping her eyes.
”Viny,” said Caryl, in her little room, an hour after, when everything had been confessed and forgiven; when the delightful story had all come out, how they were really and truly to move that very afternoon; how Madam Grant had paid the rent in advance for the sunny rooms in the little cottage, and they were just driving around to surprise Aunt Sylvia when they witnessed Viny's escapade; how the carriage was to come before very long to take dear Aunt Sylvia to her longed-for refuge; how the price of the lessons was to go for new furniture; how everything for the rest of their lives was to be cheery, winsome, and bright to the very last degree--when it was all finished, Caryl looked kindly down into the sorry little black face--”Yes, Viny,” she said with the happiest little laugh, ”I shall have to forgive you, for it's the last naughty thing that you will ever do in the old home.”
MARGARET SIDNEY.
Ole King Cole Was a merry old soul, And a merry old soul was he; He called for his pipe, And he called for his bowl, And he called for his fiddlers three.
”Ding Dong bell! p.u.s.s.y's in the well!”
”Who put her in?”
”Little Tommy Green.”
”Who pulled her out?”
”Big Jack Stout.”
”What a naughty act was that, To drown poor p.u.s.s.y Cat!”
OUR TWO OPINIONS.
Us two wuz boys when we fell out-- Nigh to the age uv my youngest now; Don't rec'lect what t'wuz about, Some small deef'rence, I'll allow; Lived next neighbors twenty years, A-hatin' each other, me 'nd Jim,-- He havin' his opinyin uv me, 'Nd I havin' my opinyin uv him.
Grew up together 'nd wouldn't speak, Courted sisters 'nd married' em, too; 'Tended same meetin' house onct a week, A-hatin' each other through 'nd through!
But when Abe Linkern asked the West F'r soldiers, we answered--me 'nd Jim-- He havin' his opinyin uv me, 'Nd I havin' my opinyin uv him.
But down in Tennessee one night There wuz sounds uv firin' far away, 'Nd the Sergeant allowed ther'd be a fight With the Johnnie Rebs some time nex' day; 'Nd as I wuz thinkin' of Lizzie 'nd home, Jim stood afore me, long and slim-- He havin' his opinyin uv me, 'Nd I havin' my opinyin uv him.
Seemed like we knew ther wuz goin' to be Serious trouble f'r me and him; Us two shuck hands, did Jim 'nd me.
But nearer a word from me or Jim!
He went his way, 'nd I went mine, 'Nd into the battle's roar went we-- I havin' my opinyin uv Jim, 'Nd he havin' his opinyin uv me.
Jim never came back from the war again, But I haint forgot that last, last night, When, waitin' fur orders, us two men Made up, 'nd shook hands afore the fight 'Nd after it all, its soothin' to know That here be I, 'nd yonder's Jim-- He havin' his opinyin uv me, 'Nd I havin' my opinion uv him.
EUGENE FIELD.
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