Author of The Yellow Knight of Oz, Ozoplaning with the Wizard in Oz, and The Wish Express, etc.
Originally published in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, November 1, 1914.
The day was fine and brisk and jolly
As Bobby Brown and his sister Polly
Set out with a bag and a huge box of lunch
To gather some chestnuts. “We’ll bring home a bunch!”
Cried Bob as he whistled a gay little tune.
They came to the woods, well, at just about noon.
I forgot to say that they lived away
Up North in Maine, where the pine trees sway
And where the—gracious, here I go!
Telling the wrong thing first, you know!
“It’s rather dark in these woods!” said Polly;
“Oh, no, it’s not; I think it’s jolly,”
Said Bob. “I’ll cut a great, big stick
And knock some chestnuts down real quick.”
His stick was thick—THICK as could be.
He hurled it with might in a chestnut tree!
Oh, then, my dears—as TRUE as TRUE—
A voice in the tree roared “OUCH! Oh, Oooooh!”
Head over heels with fright rolled Polly.
Bob’s knees quaked, too, and next thing—Golly!
Out of the tree looked a great, HUGE bear,
A bump on his eye most as big as a pear!
He started to climb down the tree. “Say, I’m
Gong to run,” gasped Bobby, “and run like TIME!”
Indeed, they stayed not a minute more,
But ran as never they’d run before.
“Oh, well,” called the bear, “if you really must
Be going I’ll open this box and just
Enjoy myself!” So crunchety munch
He ate up Bob’s and Polly’s lunch!
THE FORGETFUL POET
By Ruth Plumly Thompson
Originally published in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, February 6, 1921.
Puzzles
The Forgetful Poet has gone to his cousin’s in Florida and never sent us a line, but I think I have answered his puzzles correctly. The musical terms were staff, scale, rest and flat. The words left out of the other verses were parrot and carrot.
All the blanks in these lines can be filled in with creatures.
Oh, -----, I’ve caught an awful cold,
Why, I can -----ly speak,
I am so ----- I’ve had a -----
Down in my throat all week!
I went driving in a ----- cart,
And then I took a sail,
And went fishing in a ----- boat,
For a sardine or a ------.
[Answers next time.]
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