The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-03-08
Ml,s nDIrrs MODEST REQUEST.


MY papa knows You. and he says you're a man who
makes reading for books;
But never read nothing You wrote, nor did papa
know by his looks.
80 guess you're like me when talk, and I talk,
and talk ali the day.
And they only say. Do stop that childl" or,
Nurse take Miss Edith away"
But papa said Il 1 was good could ask yOu-alone
by myself
II you wouldn't write me book like that little one
up ON the shelf. 80.
1 donr mean the pictures, Of course, for to make
them you've got to be smart;
But the reading that runs all around them you know
just the easiest part.
You needn't mind what it's about, for viii
see II but me
And Jene-thats my nurse-and John--that's the
ooachman-just only us three.
You're to write of bad little girl, that wicked
and bold and all that;
And then you're to write, if you please, something
good-very good-of catl
This cat she was virtuous and meek, and kind to her
parents, and nid,
And careful and neat in her ways, though her mis-
tress was such bad child; FL.
And hours she would sit and would gaze when her
mistrees-thats me-was so bad,
And blink just as If che would say, " Oh, Edith, you
make my heart sad"
Aud yet you would scarcely believe it, that beaut
full, angelic cat
Was blamed by the servants for stealing whatever
they said, she'd get at.
And when John drank my milk--don't you tell me
tpow just the way it was done
They twas the cat-and she sitting and wash
Lax her face In the sun
And then there was Dick, my canary. When lef
the cage open one day,
They all made believe that she ate it, though knew
that the bird few away.
And Why? Just because she was playing with
feather she found on the hoor,
AS if cats couldn't play with feather without PEG
pie thinking twas more.
Why, once we we're romping together, when
knocked down a vase from the shelf,
That cat grieved and distressed as If she haC
done IL herself;
And she walked away sadly and hid herself, ant
never came out until tea
So they say, for they sent me to bed and she neve
came even t. me.
No matter whatever happened, it was laid at the doc
Of that cat.
'Shy, once when tore my apron-she was wrapped
in it, and called Rat ~
Why they blamed that her. / shall never-no
not to my dying day
Forget the panied look that she gave me when the.
slapped NE and took me away.
OF course you know Just what comes next when
child is lovely as that.
She wasted quite slowly AWAIT was goodness wa
killing that cat.
know it was nothing she ate, for her taste ex
ceedingy nice;
But they said she stole Bobby's ice-cream, ant
caught bad cold from the Ice.
And you'll promise to make me book like that litt
mp ON the shelf.
And youIl call her Naomi" because it's mann
that she just gave herself;
For she'd scratch at my door in the morning, anC
whenever I'd call out, " Who's there %
She would answer Naomi Naomi I" like Chris
tan, VOW and declare.
And you'll put and her in book. And mind
yOure to say | was bad;
And might have been Bladder than that but for tn
example had.
And you'll say thar she was Maltese and what
that you asked? ''Is she dead 2"
Why, please, sir, there Gint any eat You're Il
make up out Of youi head.
The Independent.