American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-02-13
HOW CHUBBY RE ,DS HIS LESSON

"MAMMA, is it most time to read les
Son?" asks Chubby.
Why, yes, dear" says mamma; "get
your boak now, and let US have the lesson
bell'
well, mamma,p says he, in hope
fully Obedlent franz of mind, "where
shall reads"
"Your next lesson, of cot~se, dear"
"Well, mamma, just walr. to saw
over the A, B, Cs first" says Cf,bby
seating himself on the sofa with his lic.ie
boots across the back of a chair. Mamma
doesn't notice; she is very busy with her
however, is not very good for Chubby's
breath. He gets red in the face, and the
words come rather jerky. Mamma looks
Why, Chubby Merton, take your feet
off that chair, this minute!"
"Papa puts his up so, sometimes"
says Chubby, turning on mamma a look
of injured and indicated innocence.
Mamma is cornered, for papa does
elevate his feet now and then. "Only
when papa is very, very tired, dear" she
says. '"Now you must just sit up
straight, and read your lesson properly
without stopping. l cannot have you
dawdle So"
"Y Yes, mamma, I just want to say
these letters first. A for monkey, b for
bat, C for COW, ID for dog, e for elk
what is an elk, mamma? is it a cow Us
got horns"
"No, Chubby, go on with the right
lesson"
Eyes, mamma, G for goat, H for bee
hive"
"Chubby," says mamma, sternly,
"you are wasting your time; read your
lesson"
well, mamma, can't just read We
go in,' first? It's right here
No, no, read your regular lesson first
There isn't time for anything else before
dinner"
"Well," says Club once more, turn
ing the leaves slowly, "lemme see this
picture first. Is this George Washing
ton, mamma? didn't he neoer tell "a lie?'
"Is that reading, Chubby?" asked
mamma. reproachfully.
"Oh, forgot Here's the lesson: The
-sun-is-up-and -we-are-up-to too.
Mamma, does the sun get up:"
snow, dear. explained all that yes
tcrday. You must not stop now" .r
Oh. yes, you said the sun stood still
and let the cunning little world go
around it. How can it,"
"HOw can what, the SUM-"
"No, mamma, the world. How can
the world turn round?"
"How can YOU tarn round, Chubby?"
Yes, but, mamma, the world hasn't
got any think inside of it, N have"
"That is true, dear, but can't posi-
bly, make you understand about the
world turning round now. You must
wait several wears yet"
"How old'll be then, mammal"
"Never mind. now, read that lesson
this minute
Il guess Pm kind o. lazy" says Club.
"The dew-is-oH-and-
-see-the-boy-w-h-o who-is-i-ll,
sick"
In, Chubby" corrects mamma.
eyes, ma'am observation-disclosures
he-was-bid. Now-what did he do,
81 don't know, dear; perhaps he ate
green apples"
Mamma, 1 went ever, ever eat an
other green apple"
Don't make any rash promises now,
1t is winter time, and there are
no green apples; read on"
90 It-is-bad-to-l ie-in-' Mamma,
if l was to eat green apples and get sick
you wouldn't make me lie in bed all day,
would your"
81 think it very likely should, dear"
"We are-not-ill-M Mamma, Pm aw-
full hungry; what are we going to have
for dinner?"
"Nothing at all if you do not read,
Chubby"
Mamma" says he, coaxingly, "Tll
buy you some candy after dinner"
"Why.you haven't any money, dear
"Yes, have, in my head"
"In your head, child, what do you
mean?"
"Why, mamma, papa said the other
day 'at i had good, common, hard-pen-
amt cents pennies?"
mot that kind, dear" said mamma,
laughing.
"There's the dinnerbell," says Club
by, who does not like to be laughed at.
g Come on, mamma" and before mamma
can possibly get the words out OF her
mouth to call him back he is downstairs
and behind his chair cying the roast
like wild beast in "A cage. His book
lies in the coalscuitlc upstairs, whence
he is sent TO pluck it when mamma
comes down. But he is not yet five
years old, and she does not make him go
without his dinncr.-.joa5e II. Ztnnd6T-
NAM -, ITnioy