He was what Sue calls “splendid!” talked lots to Kit and to me,
And took up little Willie, and held him on his knee,
And while he was eating supper said a good many funny things,
And joked with mother and Susie—it seemed as if time had wings—
But O, that grand, grand lecture was the best we ever heard!
Folks held their breaths to listen, for fear they should lose a word.
They cried, and they applauded, and then they laughed outright—
Kit and I decided to lecture before we went home that night.
He was going back in the morning, on the early morning train,
And father let us sit up that night, said “it wouldn’t happen again.”