The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-06-08
Being the Weird Expert
ence Of a Little Boy
Who Thought He
Knew it All
.-oMSlYRowLAND JIMPLECUTE

H@0MAfY ROWLAND JIMPLECUTE
f(Cb was a quiet, modest boy until
~ HIS head was turned by success.
There are few boys who can
be unduly praised by teachers
and parents without becoming swelled
up with pride and vanity. and Tommy
WIS no exception TO the rule. OF course.
I don't believe IN continually snubbing
ambitious boys as many parents do, for
a certain pride is necessary for boys
success, and makes most OF them strive
harder to accomplish their tasks, but
Tommy had far too much.
he was q smart boy. and while he didn't
IKE arithmetic and grammar any more
chan other lads, he was always very near
the head Of his class. One day the teacher
proposed as the subject Of the weekly
ocmDositiOn that wonderful South
American bird the great condor. which,
as you probably know, IS the largest bird
On the world, and one which seldom comes
down from near the clouds. but scars in
the deep blue sky for many hours at
time When Tommy asked the teacher
n he might write his composition in
verse she save him permission, although
she YVES much surprised, as no one had
6Ver heard Of such thing IN that school
as pOetical composition This Is what
Tommy wrote;
'tLisils JohNay SgRiytgwM
Vas the boy gUhO had the hurt
done.
he Loved to shoot the little birds,
A,sd pop them in the eye.
He liked to sec them suffer,
This naughty little dmfer;
He liked to see them sgaiymiNg
did he IOUed to hear them cry.
So johnny long did ponder
Ho1U to pop the GzgfA Condor,
AHd he hunted for the big bird far
and zVide,
Until at last he met lin,
BIT that Condor MP and ate him,
AHd aO9y poor little JohnnyS on
the BIRDS inside"
All the scholars elapped their hands and
the teacher said it was the best compost
ton she had ever heard of, and she read
# 90 the principal, who had il put in the
evening paper with Tommy Jimplecute's
name printed beneath.
After that Tommy became so pulled up
with pride that he was simply insuffer-
able. he would scarcely speak to the 9TH
CT children and he signed his name q.
Jimplecute, Poet, whenever he had a
chance and even wrote It with chalk on
the sidewalk sometimes TO see how Il
looked. He felt very important, indeed,
lar more than the beautiful poem war
ranted. although It was so fine. and at
last he put on such airs at home that
ar. Jimplecute spoke to him about IL
Remember. Thomas" he said. that
there are many other poets, and, after
al, it's not such tremendous thing. I
think there's very little money to be made
al the business"
IT'S not a business" remarked
Tommys sister Ethel Helen. ITS a dis
eage. I think"
Perhaps II IS" SAID her father.
II it, disease said Tommy, very i'm
pudently; ats one neither OF you viii
ever get for it's a brain disease"
For that, Tommy got such a dressing
down with his fathers strop that he never
Qaite forgot Ct. and tnen he was sent 70
bed without his supper After he had been
IN his room a. half-hour there came a
scratching at the door, anG opening II he
found there his dog Dan. with a large dog
biscuit in mis- mouth which ne had saved
for his master, Tor he knew that he had
been sent to bed supperless. Tommy took
the dog biscuit JUST TO please Dan for he
knew that he would feel hurt If ne refused.