CONTRIBUTED VERSES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2449, 13 March 1909, Page 9 (Supplement)

CONTRIBUTED VERSES.

JIMMY. (By .William Oliver,) Now its wonderful strange what a bother boys make, What alarums they set, what precautions they take, If there’s any suspicion they mightn’t awake When the Breeze of Dawn is blowing, How, time and again, tliro’ the livelong night They scramble around in a terrible fright, While the glimmer they fear is the sun’s first light, Is the Evening Planet glowing. How clocks are placed where * the nightlight burns, How they fashion a watch, aud keep vigil by turns, While each individual longs and yearns To be up and about and moving. And their Father condemns, and tlieir Sisters scold, And their Mother declares they will surely catch cold, But they’ll neither be showed, nor taught, nor told, Nor notice, discreet reproving.

Aud many a time they catch the cramp Thro’ pottering round in the dawnroake damp, Trying to work by the light of a lamp. While the stars shine forth by Legions, And they steal away to their beds again, And tlieir penitent tears drop down like rain, While they squeal and squirm at the fearful pain In their deep internal regions.

Yet I once knew a boy, and his hair was red, It should have been straight, but was curly instead, Which result was attained by remaining in bed Too late in the early morning. For his Mother would call, and bis Father would shout, And his Sisters declared him a lump of a lout, While his Brothers oft threatened to kick him clean out, And he treated them all with scorning.

And liis Mother would tinkle away at the hell, And his Sisters would bang on the tea-tray as well, And liis Father would come with a thundering yell, And a rat-a-tat-tat on the flooring. And he’d roll himself over and mumble out, ‘yes, All right I’ll be down in a minute I guess,’ And in two seconds more, or most likely in less, You’d hear him triumphantly snoring.

And the minute-hand raced, and the hour-hand crept, And his Dad nearly swore, and his Ala. nearly wept, And still Master Jim perseveringiy slept. ’Till the afternoon .sun was shining, And he counted work hateful, and didn’t like play, And he’d never sit down if he only could lay, So the space that he passed out of bed every day He spent on a couch reclining.

And I’m told there’s another (twin brother to Jim), And they say he’s tho same, but a trifle more slim, That he can’t see at all without propping each rim, And be can’t speak a word without yawning. _ . . And Jimmy’s at rest, and his bed it is deep, AVhere the black wattles wave, and tingreen willows weep, For he slept himself into a different sleep _ And he’ll wake in a , different dawning.

Now if over you meet Jimmy’s marvellous twill, (You’ll know him at once by his quadruple chin), AY ho disdains to arise, and prefers to lay in Despite each benevolent warning. Don’t wake him, or shake liim, or talk to him sour, Just watch him enjoy an enlivening shower, . And water, you’ll find is a. wonderful power For getting boys up in the morning.

Hook Netting on .a Baby’s Pram.— The best way to keep a mosquito netting on a baby’s pram is to buy two yards of elastic and sew a hook on one end and an eye on the other. It can be hooked around in a second, and no amount of wind can blow it off, and only the most enterprising insect can crawl up under it.

The following extract from a letter of thanks for a Christmas present is cherished by its recipient: “The beautiful clock you sent us came in perfect condition, and is now in the parlour on tho top or tne bookshelves, where we hoep to see you soon, and your husband also, if ho can make it convenient.”

How to Clean Chiffon.—Sprinkle thickly with powdered ammonia, roll up tightly and leave for a day or two; then shake out aud press with a warm iron. It will look like neiv.