Half-Hours with Jimmieboy. Bangs John Kendrick

      couple walked

      "Dear me!" he said. "Why, that doesn't mean anything, does it?"

      "No. There isn't much in dream poetry, I guess," said the Pad. "I'm going back home. Good-by."

      "Oh, don't go," said the Pencil. "Let's try it again – just once more. Eh?"

      "Very well," returned the Pad, good-naturedly, tearing off one of his leaves. "Go ahead, Jimmieboy."

      And Jimmieboy dozed off again.

      "Wake up, wake up!" cried the Pencil in about three minutes. "We've got something this time."

      But they were all disappointed, for, when they looked, all that they could see was this:

      "Rubbish!" said the Pad, indignantly. "There's two leaves of myself wasted now on your old dream poetry. I think that's enough. I'm off. Good-by."

      "Don't be hasty, Pad," retorted the Pencil. "That's a great deal better than the other. Why, there's one part there with all the lines beginning with capitals, and when that happens it's generally a sign that there's poetry around."

      "There isn't much there, though," said Jimmieboy, a little disappointed by the result. "I guess Pad's right. We'd better give it up."

      "Not yet," pleaded the Pencil. "There's luck in odd numbers, you know. Let's try it just once more."

      "Shall we, Jimmieboy?" asked the Pad.

      "Yes. Let's," assented Jimmieboy, as he dropped off to sleep for the third time.

      This time he must have slept five minutes. When he opened his eyes he saw the Pencil staring blankly at the Pad, on which was written nothing more than this curious looking formula:

      "How aggravating!" said Jimmieboy.

      "Abominable!" ejaculated the Pad.

      "I believe it's a key to what has gone before," said the Pencil, shaking his rubber wisely. "Two and two make four – two and two make four. Ah! I know. You've got to put two and two together to make four. If we put those two leaves of nonsensical words together, maybe we'll have a poem. Let's try."

      "It'll use me up, I'm afraid," sighed the Pad.

      "Oh, no. It won't take more than a half of you," said the Pencil, putting the two leaves on which Jimmieboy had first written together.

      "It looks like a poem," he said, when he had fitted the two together. "Let's see how it reads.

      "I have not seen them since.

      And if my memory's not wrong,

      They both were dressed in chintz,

      With that the couple walked along;"

      "That doesn't mean a blessed thing," said the Pad.

      "It's nonsense," said Jimmieboy.

      "Just wait!" said the Pencil, beginning to read again:

      And straightway change your vest."

      For you to go upstairs with me,

      Replied, "I think it's best

      "If that's the case," the Snickersnee

      And catch the early train."

      I hadn't time to leave the shop

      "My reason for it's plain;

      "I know it," said the Polypop;

      "Since two weeks yesterday."

      You haven't uttered one small cheer

      Oh, Polypop, I say,

      Then quoth the Snickersnee, "See here,

      He didn't pay his fee.

      And as the moon was shining bright,

      To see the Snickersnee,

      The Polypop came down one night

      "Ho!" jeered the Pad. "That's elegant poetry, that is. You might get paid five cents a mile for stuff like that, if you wanted to sell it and had luck."

      "I don't care," said the Pencil. "It rhymes well."

      "Oh, I know what's the matter," said Jimmieboy, gleefully. "Why, of course it's poetry. Read it upside down, and it's all right. It's dream poetry, and dreams always go the other way. Why, it's fine. Just listen:

      "The Polypop came down one night

      To see the Snickersnee,

      And, as the moon was shining bright,

      He didn't pay his fee."

      "That is good," said the Pad. "Let me say the next:

      "Then, quoth the Snickersnee, 'See here,

      Oh, Polypop, I say,

      You have not uttered one small cheer

      Since two weeks yesterday.'"

      "I thought it would come out right," said the Pencil. "The next two verses are particularly good, too:

      "'I know it,' said the Polypop;

      'My reason for it's plain;

      I hadn't time to leave the shop

      And catch the early train.'

      "'If that's the case,' the Snickersnee

      Replied, 'I think it's best

      For you to go upstairs with me,

      And

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