g a conversation which occurred during an invasion of the
children, a conversation between him and his guests which is thrown into
a sort of rhyme for easy memorizing, passing from one speaker to another
without more than the natural pause for reply.

Obviously, the children began it:

"Ol' Daddy Do-funny,
How do you come on?"
"Po'ly, thank Gord, honey,
Po'ly dis morn.
My ol' spine it's sort o' stiff,
An' my arms dey 'fuze to lif'.
An' de miz'ry 's in my breas',
An' I got some heart-distress.
An' de growin' pains dey lingers,
In my knee-j'ints an' my fingers,
But I'm well, praise Gord, dis mornin'."

"Ol' Daddy Do-funny,
What cuyus talk!
How is you well, when you
Can't even walk?"

"Hush, you foolish chillen, hush!
What's dat singin' in de brush?
Ain't dat yonder blue de sky?
Feel de cool breeze passin' by!
Dis ol' painful back an' knee,
Laws-a-mussy, _dey ain't me!
I'm well, praise Gord, dis mornin'!_"

RUTH McENERY STUART.

[Illustration]

CONTENTS

Page

Daddy's Weather Prayer 3

The Old Rooster 4

The Butterfly 5

The Wren 6

The Watermelon 7

The Gourd 8

Judge Owl 9

The Mosquito 10

Confession 11

The Game-Cock 12

The Epicure 13

The Mule 14

The Grubworm 15

Rain or Shine 16

Little Green Tree-Toad 17

Sparrows 18

The Fly 19

The Little Chicken