Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-12-18
Johnny shrImp,s Composition
ON RoArs AND BoAT.MAKrNa

ON RoATs AND BoAT-MARINd
like boats, When am big, / mean
TO have as many boats as l want l once
read book written by Mr.. Sparrowgrass
He said that boat was good thing TO
have In the house, especially II there be
any water near. think so too.
Pa says he'll buy me boat when he
gets rich. He says he's 80 poor, now, he
can hardly get clothes to his back. He
bought nice new coat only last week.
He says he can't afford boat, though he
has to buy cigars and pew in church,
and John Barleycorn, and other neces.
saries of life. think boat is more ne
cessary Of life than pew in church, any
day. | wonder who John Barleycorn ia,
and why he wants to buy him.
Aunt Jerushs says that If that boy has
a boat he'll be sure 10 tumble overheard,
and be brought home wrlnging wet, and
dead as a door nail, by the police, on a
shutter. Itwould be fun. The cops bring
me home by the coat collar or by the car
II hurts--I think shutter would bo much
better.
rowed Pa over to Hoboken once, Pa
says it's good for boys to row, and good
for men TO SIT In the stern of the boat, and
be rowed. Sometimes boys have too much
Of good thing. had II then.
caught crabs when rowing TO Hoboken.
i caught 'em with my oar, and they knock
ed me off the seat. Pa said not TO care
II would make me grow to be knocked
over in the bottom of leaky boat II
vets their trowsers, and makes 'em feel
sticky. don't call that growing.
/ don't like to bail out boats. When
the boat is leaky | take Dlcky Mopps
with me. He's littler than am, and can
make him do all the bailing. Once, Pa
said he could not pay the rent, and be
arrested, and who should he get TO bail
him out said "Dicky Mopps" Pa said,
Don't be fool" Ma says that Pa some
times asks very unreraonable things of me
and expects too much.
like TO build little steamboats,. Aunt
Jerusha says | used up all her spools Of
Gotten for cylinders and rigging bor-
rowed some of the wheels from the
kitchen clock once TO make machin-
cry, and the clock has never went
since. Ma found il out, and told Aunt
Jerusha that had wonderful talent, and
would make a great mechanic. But when
took wheel, and needle and some
other things, out of her sewing machine,
Ma said ought to be whipped soundly,
don't sec why one thing don't show as
much talent as the other
Aunt Jerusha says am dragging her
to an early grave, because took her
glasses out OF her speotaclos, and her old
thimble, and her pill.boxes, and the top
OF the tea-kettlo, to make up into things
for my boat. She says she'll tell Pa.
Pa says my boat is very nice. so l
didn't tell him cut out the hull with his
raizor, and made the sails out of n piece Of
his shirt Pa says the washerwomen are
very careless. One of them washed the
back all out of his shirts. think shirt
stuff makes very good sails l mean to
make a good many boats, and ] know a
boy whose father keeps watch store, and
has lots of little wheels and things. That
boys name is Sprggins--lIank Spriggins.
gave him an apple to-day, 1t was sour,
and didn't want it. | mean to make up
to Sprigglns, and see If he won't give me
some clock-works. He can get some from
his Pa. l often get things from Pa with.
out bothering him by asking him before
hand. take EN-. 1t saves trouble.