Wit and Humor of America, The Vol 08

<h2><SPAN name="JOHNNYS_LESSONS9" id="JOHNNYS_LESSONS9"></SPAN>JOHNNY'S LESSONS<SPAN name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></SPAN><SPAN href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</SPAN></h2> <h3>BY CARROLL WATSON RANKIN</h3> <p><span style="margin-left: 1em;">'Tis very, very late; poor mamma and Cousin Kate,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Papa and Aunty Jane, all know it to their sorrow.</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Struggling with the mystery of Latin, Greek, and history,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">They're learning Johnny's lessons for the morrow.</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">His relatives are bright; still, it takes them half the night</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">With only four of them&mdash;ofttimes a friend they borrow&mdash;</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">To grapple with hard sums, and to fill young John with crumbs</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Of wisdom 'gainst the coming of the morrow.</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">They bitterly complain; still, with only <i>one</i> small brain,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">The boy needs all his kin can give him, for oh!</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">These lessons, if they slight 'em, how <i>can</i> poor John recite 'em</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">To a dozen wiser teachers on the morrow.</span><br/> <span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_1571" id="Page_1571"></SPAN></span></p> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />