“Oh, we can't baptize him,” exclaimed the other little boy, “'cause he's a Jew and the Bible says not to baptize Jews. You got to mesmerize 'em. How come me to know so much?” he continued condescendingly, “Miss Cecilia teached me in the Sunday-School. Sometimes I know so much I I feel like I'm going to bust. She teached me 'bout 'Scuffle little chillens and forbid 'em not,' and 'bout 'Ananias telled Sapphira he done it with his little hatchet,' and 'bout 'Lijah jumped over the moon in a automobile: I know everything what's in the Bible. Miss Cecilia sure is a crackerjack; she's 'bout the stylishest Sunday-School teacher they is.”
“'T was the cow jumped over the moon,” said Frances, “and it isn't in the Bible; it's in Mother Goose.”
“And Elijah went to Heaven in a chariot of fire,” corrected Lina.
“And I know all 'bout Gabr'el,” continued Jimmy unabashed. “When folks called him to blow his trumpet he was under the haystack fast asleep.”
Ikey was quite near by this time to command the attention of the four children.
“Let's mesmerize Goose-Grease,” yelled Jimmy, as he turned the stream of water full upon him.
Frances, Lina, and Billy clapped their hands and laughed for joy.
With a terrified and angry shriek their victim, dripping water at every step, ran howling by his tormentors. When he reached a safe distance he turned around, shook a fist at them, and screamed back:
“My papa is going to have you all arrested and locked up in the calaboose.”
“Calaboose, nothing!” jeered Jimmy. “You all time wanting to put somebody in the calaboose 'cause they mesmerize you. You got to be mesmerized 'cause it's in the Bible.”