The Mosquito's Mistake

A giddy Master Mosquito said, To his father fond and his nmlher tnn- "I reckon before I go to bid I will browsc uround for an hour or so." 'My child," said his ma, it Ís very late, And I hate to have you out o' nighU; Many a youth has met his fate Running around and secing the sights. "Beware, my child." said his pa discreet, With a wink at his ton prooared to io; "Beware of ihe woinen you chance to meet- They're dangerous pcbple to tackle, you knOW." Master Mosquito shook his head And a sort of synical stnile he siniled ; He didn't care wliat his puente said, The giddy, thoughtless, frivolous child ; Out of the August night and dew, Out of the moonbeam's mellow light, ín through a window wide he tiew, Singing along ín his merry ílight. And his silly heart beat high, I'll vouch, And his giddy brain was all aglow As he spied an arm on a downy couch - An arm as soft and white as snow. At the other end of that comely arm Was a maiden hymning a vireio snore, And she looked so innocent and so cahn That Master mosquito pined for her gora. Down on the arm he swooped and til, Bating his music all so shrill - Down on that arm he bore and bit And stroked his sides as lic drank his lili. Welt, ah, wel! Í the snoring stops, And a virgin up on her elbow leans, And a muiden Jiand like a mallet ilrops, Smasliing our friend into smRhereeaa. O, youth? the moral herein you find Snould all your solemnest thoughts engagc If our friend had avoidcd woman kind, He mïght have lived to a ripe oíd age.