JOHN, who rode his Dunlop tire O"er the head of sweet Maria, When she writhed in frightful pain, Had to blow it out again.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Misfortunes Never Come Singly

MAKING toast at the fireside, Nurse fell in the grate and died; And, what makes it ten times worse, All the toast was burned _with_ nurse.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The Perils of Obesity

YESTERDAY my gun exploded When I thought it wasn"t loaded; Near my wife I pressed the trigger, Chipped a fragment off her figure; "Course I"m sorry, and all that, But she shouldn"t be so fat.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration:

"_Now, although the room grows chilly, I haven"t the heart to poke poor Billy._"]

Tender-Heartedness

BILLY, in one of his nice new sashes, Fell in the fire and was burnt to ashes; Now, although the room grows chilly, I haven"t the heart to poke poor Billy.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Jim; or, the Deferred Luncheon Party

WHEN the line he tried to cross, The express ran into Jim; Bitterly I mourn his loss-- I was to have lunched with him.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Appreciation

AUNTIE, did you feel no pain Falling from that apple tree?

Will you do it, please, again?

"Cos my friend here didn"t see.

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Baby

BABY in the caldron fell,-- See the grief on Mother"s brow; Mother loved her darling well,-- Darling"s quite hard-boiled by now.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_Darling"s quite hard-boiled by now._"]

Nurse"s Mistake

NURSE, who peppered baby"s face (She mistook it for a m.u.f.fin), Held her tongue and kept her place, "Laying low and sayin" nuffin""; Mother, seeing baby blinded, Said, "Oh, nurse, how absent-minded!"

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The Stern Parent

FATHER heard his Children scream, So he threw them in the stream, Saying, as he drowned the third, "Children should be seen, _not_ heard!"

[Ill.u.s.tration]

"Bluebeard"

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