Shakespeare the Boy
With Sketches of the Home and School Life, the Games and Sports, the Manners, Customs, and Folk-lore of the Time. By William J. Rolfe, Litt.D., Editor of "Rolfe's English Classics," etc. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, $1.25.
At once fascinating and instructive, and will be found as readable by the elders as by the youth.—Watchman, Boston.
HARPER & BROTHERS, Publishers, New York
My little poet one spring day
Walked out along the country way;
His heart was light and merry.
He wisely said, "'Twere best I bring
Along with me, prepared to sing,
My rhyming dictionary."
My little poet's arm I took,
And asked if he'd within his book
A word to rhyme with notions;
He shook his little curly head,
And arched his brows, and laughed, and said:
"Oh yes, indeed! There's oceans!"
J. R. Conner.
He was a Southern local politician running for office, and believed in making a thorough canvass in person. One day he was addressing a crowd of negro voters who had turned out to greet him, when he caught sight of a gray-wooled old man on the outskirts of the crowd. The old uncle had a rusty sword with him, and the orator thought he saw his opportunity to catch the negro vote.
"There," he cried, pointing to the apparent veteran, "that gentleman over there illustrates the bravery of your race. Men of his merit I admire. Brave men of your race should be upheld; their dignity should be maintained. And were I in office, I would fight for you the same as that aged hero fought for us. Look at him. There he stands to-day with his trusty sword, the weapon that he drew in defence of his country. What better example could—"
Broad smiles that threatened to divide the faces of that colored crowd had been spreading during the latter part of the orator's harangue; but when the old darky broke in with, "'Deed, massa, youse am right 'bout dat sword bein' drawn, but Ise done drawed it in a raffle," it completely broke up the meeting.