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An' they seeked him in the rafter room an' cubby-hole an' press,

An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' everywheres, I guess,

But all they ever found was thist his pants an' round

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An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin,

An' make fun of ever' one an' all her blood-an'-kin,
An' onc't when they was company," an' old folks was

there,

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She mocked 'em, an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't care; An' thist as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide, They was two great big Black Things a-standin' by her side,

An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about!

An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you

Ef you
Don't

Watch
Out!

An' little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue,
An' the lampwick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo!
An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray,
An' the lightnin'-bugs in dew is all squenched away-
You better mind yer parents, an' yer teachers fond an' dear,
An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear
An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about,
Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you

Ef you
Don't

Watch

Out!

James Whitcomb Riley

THE PERILS OF INVISIBILITY

Old Peter led a wretched life-
Old Peter had a furious wife;
Old Peter, too, was truly stout,
He measured several yards about.

The little fairy Picklekin

One summer afternoon looked in,
And said, "Old Peter, how de do?
Can I do anything for you?

"I have three gifts the first will give
Unbounded riches while you live;
The second, health where'er you be;
The third, invisibility."

"O little fairy Picklekin,"

Old Peter answered with a grin, "To hesitate would be absurd — Undoubtedly I choose the third."

""Tis yours," the fairy said; "be quite
Invisible to mortal sight

Whene'er you please. Remember me
Most kindly, pray, to Mrs. P."

Old Mrs. Peter overheard

Wee Picklekin's concluding word,

And, jealous of her girlhood's choice,

Said, "That was some young woman's voice!"

Old Peter let her scold and swear

Old Peter, bless him, didn't care.

"My dear, your rage is wasted quite – Observe, I disappear from sight!"

A well-bred fairy (so I've heard)
Is always faithful to her word:
Old Peter vanished like a shot,
But then his suit of clothes did not.

For when conferred the fairy slim
Invisibility on him,

She popped away on fairy wings,
Without referring to his “things."

So there remained a coat of blue,
A vest and double eyeglass too,
His tail, his shoes, his socks as well,
His pair of no, I must not tell.

Old Mrs. Peter soon began
To see the failure of his plan,

And then resolved (I quote the Bard)
To "Hoist him with his own petard."

Old Peter woke next day and dressed, Put on his coat, and shoes, and vest, His shirt and stock - but could not find His only pair of

never mind!

Old Peter was a decent man,

And though he twigged his lady's plan, Yet, hearing her approaching, he Resumed invisibility.

"Dear Mrs. P., my only joy,"
Exclaimed the horrified old boy,
"Now give them up, I beg of you
You know what I'm referring to!"

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But no; the cross old lady swore She'd keep his - what I said before

To make him publicly absurd;

And Mrs. Peter kept her word.

The poor old fellow had no rest;

His coat, his stock, his shoes, his vest, Were all that now met mortal eyeThe rest, invisibility!

Now, madam, give them up, I beg

I've had rheumatics in my leg;
Besides, until you do, it's plain,
I cannot come to sight again!

"For though some mirth it might afford
To see my clothes without their lord,
Yet there would rise indignant oaths
If he were seen without his clothes!"

But no; resolved to have her quiz,
The lady held her own—and his
And Peter left his humble cot

To find a pair of — you know what.

But here's the worst of this affair -
Whene'er he came across a pair
Already placed for him to don,
He was too stout to get them on!

So he resolved at once to train,

And walked and walked with all his main;
For years he paced this mortal earth,

To bring himself to decent girth.

At night, when all around is still,
You'll find him pounding up a hill;
And shrieking peasants whom he meets,
Fall down in terror on the peats!

Old Peter walks through wind and rain,
Resolved to train, and train, and train,
Until he weighs twelve stone or so-
And when he does, I'll let you know.

William S. Gilbert

HANS BREITMANN'S PARTY

Hans Breitmann gife a barty;
Dey had biano-blayin':

I felled in lofe mit a Merican frau,
Her name was Madilda Yane.
She hat haar as prown ash a pretzel,
Her eyes vas himmel-plue,

Und ven dey looket indo mine,

Dey shplit mine heart in two.

Hans Breitmann gife a barty:

I vent dere, you'll pe pound. I valtzet mit Madilda Yane

Und vent shpinnen round und round.
De pootiest Fräulein in de house,

She vayed 'pout dwo hoondred pound,
Und efery dime she gife a shoomp
She make de vindows sound.

Hans Breitmann gife a barty:

I dells you it cost him dear.
Dey rolled in more ash sefen kecks
Of foost-rate Lager Beer,

Und venefer dey knocks de shpicket in
De Deutschers gifes a cheer.

I dinks dat so vine a barty

Nefer coom to a het dis year.

Hans Breitmann gife a barty:

Dere all vas Souse und Brouse;
Ven de sooper comed in, de gompany
Did make demselfs to house.
Dey ate das Brot und Gensy broost,
De Bratwurst und Braten fine,
Und vash der Abendessen down
Mit four parrels of Neckarwein.

Hans Breitmann gife a barty.
We all cot troonk ash bigs.

I poot mine mout to a parrel of bier,
Und emptied it oop mit a schwigs.
Und denn I gissed Madilda Yane
Und she shlog me on de kop,

Und de gompany fited mit daple-lecks
Dill de coonshtable made oos shtop.

Hans Breitmann gife a barty —
Where ish dat barty now!

Where ish de lofely golden cloud

Dat float on de moundain's prow?

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Where ish de himmelstrahlende Stern-
De shtar of de shpirit's light?
All goned afay mit de Lager Beer
Afay in de Ewigkeit!

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Charles Godfrey Leland

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