The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-26

| Comet. I'm the brightest thing there ever
was" I'm all tho time getting OFF
| jokes and things"
Are you, really?" cried Jimmieboy,
| delighted. Il am so glad, for 1 love
| jokes and-things. Get off Joke now,
| will you?"
Certainly" replied the obligIng Comet.
"You don't know why the moon is call
| ed She do your"
mo" said Jimmieboy. 'Why is it?"
because il isn't sun. so 1t must be
daughter" said the Comet. Isn't that
| funny?"
Il guess So" said Jimmieboy. trying
10 look as if he thought the joke a good
one But don't you know anything fun
nier than that?"
YES" replied the Comet. what do
you think OF this: What is the only thing
You caa crack without spItting?''
THAT sounds interesting said Jim
mieboy, but I'm sure 1 never could
guess"
why, It's a joke. of course" said the
Comet "You can crack a joke eight
times a day and it's as whole as 1t ever
was when night comes"
THAT'S So" said Jimmieboy. That's
funnier than the other, too. 1 see now
why they call you a Comic
I'm Lot a Comic" said the Comet.
With n laugh at Jimmieboy's mistake.
I'm a Comet. ! end with t Ike the
DAYS when you have n dinner In the
afternoon. They end with tea, don't
fbey?
THAT'S the best yet" roared Jim
mieboy. III you give me another like
that l may laugh hard rDd fall of, so
1 guess you'd better hadn't"
GLOW would you like to hear some OF
my poetry" asked the Comet. I'm
great writer of poetry, I can tell you. l
won a prize once for writing more poetry
in an hour than any other Comet In
school,"
I'm very fond OF A." said Jimmieboy.
Specially when II don't make sense.
That's the kind l like. too" agreed
the Comet. ct never can understand the
other kind. I've got a queer sort OF a
head l can't understand sense. but non
sense is as clear TO me as-well as turtle
soup. Ever see any turtle SOUP"
mo" said Jimmieboy. But I've seen
turtles"
"Well turtle soup is million times
clearer than turtles. so maybe you can
get some idea Of what / mean"
Eyes" said Jimmieboy. IL think l do.
Nonsense poetry is like window TO you.
You can see through 1t in minute.
Exactly" said the Comet. "Only nom
sense poetry hasn't any glass in 1t. so
It isn't exactly like a window to me
after ALL"
''Wen, anyhow" put in Jimmieooy'
Tets have some OF the poetry.
VERY good" said the Comet Here
goes. It's about an animal named the
C..,or - i+,s called The Speeler's La
ment:'
Oh, many years ago,
When Jack and Gill were young
There wandered TO and fro
Along the glistening snow
A Speeler much unstrung.
I asked the Speeler why
He looked so mortal SAD
He gazed into my eye,
And then he made reply
In language very bad.
'Pm sad" said he. because
4 Speeler true l be,
And yet despite my jaws,
NV wings, and beak, and Claws
Despite my manners free.
Despite my feathers fine.
My voice so soft and sweet
My truly fair outline.
My very handsome spine.
And massive pair OF feet
In all this world Of space
On foot, on fin, on wing
From Natures top 10 base
There never was a trace
/ OF any such strange thing
And Il does seem to ma
Indeed il truly does
IT'S dreadful sir. TO be,
AS you can plainly see,
y thing that never was'
"What's a Speeler?" said Jimmieboy.
at isn't anythirg. There isn't any such
thing as a Speeler and that's what m2de
this particular Speeler feel so badly
said the comet Il know Ia feel that way
myself 1t must be dreadful to be some
thing that isn't. l was very sorry after
had written that poem and created the
poor Speeler, because ii doesn't seem
right TO create a thing just for the sake
OF making It unhappy TO please people
who like poetry of that kind"
I'm afraid 1t was a sensible poem"
said Jimmieboy. Because. really, Mr..
Comet l can't understand it,"
''Well. let me try you on another then.
and take away the taste of that one. How
do you like this, It's called 'Wobble Doc,
The Squaller:
1.-THE Wobble DOC was fond o. pie,
He also loved peach jam,
But what most pleased his eagle eye
Was picked cakes and ham.
But when. perchance. he got no cake
Jam, ham. or pie at all
He'd sit up on a garden rake
And squall and squall and squall.
And as these never came his way,
This hero OF my rhyme,
really do regret TO say,
Was squailing all the time"
Your poems are all sad. aren't they?"
said Jimmieboy. Couldn't you have let
Wobbie Doc have just little bit OF cake
or Jamr'
mo. It MAS impessibia. replied the