I pretty soon gave up that employment, and amused myself instead with pelting the cats on the fence with a few marbles, and trying on my uniform, to see how I looked in it; until Aunt Elsie relented, I suppose, for she came up and asked me through the keyhole if I was sorry, and wouldn't do any more. You can fancy what my answer was, and after dinner I got permission to go out and play on the sidewalk.
Neighbor Nelly and Jimmy joined me there pretty soon, and we had such fun playing "tag" and driving hoop. It wasn't hoop time, to be sure, but that was no matter. Then, when we were tired of that, we all sat down together on the upper step of No. 9, and began talking about their school and mine, and what we learned.
"Do you ever learn pieces of poetry?" asked Nelly. "My teacher, Miss Backboard, always gives the girls each a piece of poetry every Friday; so we call that poetry day."
"I used to learn pieces too," I said; "but I don't care much for poetry unless it's funny."
"Tell us a funny piece," said Jimmy.
"Ah yes, do!" added Nelly; and, of course, when a lady asked me I had to, though I felt pretty bashful; so I began.
A DAY OF MISHAPS.
(AS TOLD BY BOBBY BREAKWINDOW, A SCHOOLBOY.)
Oh dear! was there ever anybody so unlucky as I am,
From General ——, who lost that battle t'other day, all the way back to Priam!
Come, sit down—do, and let me tell you all about it, and what's the matter;