Jes' 'for Christmas

Father calis me Wllllam, sister calla me Will, Mother culis me Willie- but the fellers cali me Bill! Mighty elad I ain't a girl- ratlier be a boy Without them sashes. caris and thiuga that's worn by Fiumtleroy I Love to chank green apples au' go swimin' in the lake - Hate to take the castor-ile they give f'r bellvache ! Most all the time the huil year roun' there ain't no Hies on me, But jes' 'íore Curistmas I'm as good as I kin be Qot a yaller dog named Sport-sick 'ira on the cat ; Fust tliiup; she know-s shedoesu't know where she is atl Oot aclipner sled, an' when us bovs goea out to slide 'l..ong comes the grocerv eart an' we all hook a rldel But, sqmotimes.when the erocery man 19 worrited and cross He reaches at me with hls whip and larrups up hls hoss; Au' then I laff and holler: "Oh. you never teclied me!" But jes' 'fore Christmas I'm as good as as I can be ! III Gran ma says she hopes that wheii I íit to be a man I'llbe a misslonerer like her oldes' brother Dan, As wuz et up by the cannib'll that lives in Ceylon'a isle. where every prospeck pleases an' only man is vilel But gran'ma she had never been to see a Wild vv est show, Or read the life uv Daniel Boone. or else I gue-w she'd know That Huffalo Bill an'cowbovs is good enoueh fr me- Excep' jes' 'fore Christmas, when I'm good as I kin be! Then ol' Sport hangs around so sollum like au still- Hi.s uves they seem a-saving: "What's er matter, llttle Bill?" The cat she sneaks down off her perch, a'ivonderin' what's become Uv them livo enemies of hern that use ter rn.ike tbings hum! lint I uní so perlite aud stick so eruestly to biz, That mothersays to father: '-Ilow improved Wlllieisl' But father, having been a boy hisself, suspieïons me, When jes' 'fore Christmas, I'm as good as I kin be ' For Christmas. with ifs lots an' lots uv ! dies. cakes an' toys, Wuz made, they say, f;r proper kids and not Ir uaughty boys I So wash yer face and bresh yer hair, au' mind yer p s an' q's. An' don't busl. out yer pantaloons, an' don't wear out ver shoes; Say yessum to the ladies an' yessir to the men, An' when they's coinpauy, don't pass yerplate fr pie again: Butthinkin' uv the things you'd like to see upon that tree. Jes' 'fore Christmas be as good as you kin be ! -Kugene Field in December Ladies' Home i Journal. ' . _ .