He's named Charley. — I'm Willie
An' I'm got the purtiest name!
But Uncle Bob he calls me " Billy'

Don't he, Charley? 'Nour filly

We named "Billy," the same

Ist like me! An' our Ma said

'At "Bob put foolishnuss into our head!"

Is they, Charley? It's meller
Wite up there! An' ef Belle er

Us ask wuz we that way, Ma said, "Yes; an' yer Pa's head wuz soft as that, An' it's that way yet!

An' Pa grabs his hat

An' says, "Yes, childern, she's right about Pa'Cause that's the reason he married yer Ma!"

An' our Ma says 'at "Belle couldn'

Ketch nothin' at all but ist bows!"""
An' Pa says 'at "you're soft as puddun!”
An' Uncle Bob says "you're a good-un-
'Cause he can tell by yer nose!".

Didn' he, Charley? An' when Belle'll play
In the poller on th' pianer, some day,

Bob makes up funny songs about you,
Till she gits mad—like he wants her to!

Our sister Fanny she's 'leven

Years old! 'At's mucher 'an I.
Aint it, Charley? . . . I'm seven!
But our sister Fanny's in Heaven !
Nere's where you go ef you die!
Don't you, Charley? Nen you has wings —
Ist like Fanny! — an' purtiest things!
Don't you, Charley? An' nen you can fly —
Ist fly

an' ever'thing! . . . Wisht I'd die!

JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY.

The Ballad of Charity.

IT was in a pleasant deepô, sequestered from the

rain,

That many weary passengers were waitin' for the

train;

Piles of quite expensive baggage, many a gorgeous portmantó,

Ivory-handled umberellas made a most touristic show.

Whereunto there came a person, very humble was his mien,

Who took an observation of the interestin' scene; Closely scanned the umberellas, watched with joy the mighty trunks,

And observed that all the people were securin' Pullman bunks:

Who was followed shortly after by a most unhappy

tramp,

Upon whose features poverty had jounced her iron

stamp;

And to make a clear impression as bees sting you while they buzz,

She had hit him rather harder than she generally does.

For he was so awful ragged, and in parts so awful bare,

That the folks were quite repulsioned to behold him begging there;

And instead of drawing currency from out their pocket-books,

They drew themselves asunder with aversionary looks.

Sternly gazed the first newcomer on the unindulgent crowd,

Then in tones which pierced the deepô he solilicussed

"I hev trevelled o'er this cont'nent from Quebec to

Bogotáw,

But sech a set of scallawags as these I never saw.

"Ye are wealthy, ye are gifted, ye have house and lands and rent,

Yet unto a suff'rin' mortal ye will not donate a cent; Ye expend your missionaries to the heathen and the

Jew,

But there isn't any heathen that is half as small as

you.

"Ye are lucky-ye hev cheque-books and deeposits in the bank,

And ye squanderate your money on the titled folks of rank;

The onyx and the sardonyx upon your garments shine,

An' ye drink at every dinner p'r'aps a dollar's wuth of wine.

"Ye are goin' for the summer to the islands by the

sea,

Where it costs four dollars daily-setch is not for setch as me;

Iv'ry-handled umberellers do not come into my plan,

But I kin give a dollar to this suff'rin' fellow-man.

66

Hand-bags made of Rooshy leather are not truly at my call,

Yet in the eyes of Mussy I am richer 'en you all, For I kin give a dollar wher' you dare not stand a dime,

And never miss it nother, nor regret it ary time."

Sayin' this he drew a wallet from the inner of his vest,

And gave the tramp a daddy, which it was his level

best;