Bikey the Skicycle and Other Tales of JimmieboyBangs, John Kendrick
General
Bikey the Skicycle and Other Tales of Jimmieboy
Bangs, John Kendrick
Boys -- Juvenile fiction; Children's stories, American; Fantasy literature; Short stories, American
"Totherwayville," returned the porter. "Hit's called like dat because
everything in it's done the other way from how you'd do it. If you
walked outside on de platform ob de station likely as not some little
dog would come up and tie you to a chain an' go leadin' you round town;
'nd you, you couldn't say a woyd. You'd only bark like as though you
only was a dog and dey'd give you bones to eat when dey didn't forget
it--less dey thought you was a cat, an' den dey'd most likely forget to
feed you on milk, de way you does with yo' cat."
"I haven't got any cat," said Jimmieboy.
"Dat's lucky fo' de cat," returned the porter. "Not dat I tinks yo'
ain't as good an' kind a little boy as ebber lived, sah, but just
because ebbery body dat owns cats sort of don't treat 'em as well as
dey'd treat a baby for instance. De kindest heartedest little boy in de
worl' would forget to gib his cat its dinner if he had a new toy to play
wid, or a new suit o' party dress to put on to show his poppy when he
come home."
The porter was called away for a minute by an old lady at the other end
of the car who wanted to know what time the seven ten train generally
started, and while he was gone Jimmieboy gazed wonderingly out of the
window; and I can't say that I blame him for doing so, for
Totherwayville was indeed a most singular place. There were very few
men, women or children in the streets and those that were there appeared
to live in a state of captivity. Small dogs led boys around by a string
or a chain; some of the boys wore muzzles. Here and there were men tied
to hitching posts, and all about were animals which Jimmieboy had always
hitherto supposed were to be found only in the wild countries, or in
circuses and zoological gardens.
Off in a field a hundred or more yards from the station were a lot of
monkies playing baseball, and drollest of all, in front of the
Totherwayville hotel, stood a huge lion smoking a cigar and talking with
an elephant.
"Well I never!" said Jimmieboy. "This seems to be a regular wild animal
place."
Just as he spoke a baby elephant came running down to the station
holding a small envelope in his trunk. When he got to the platform he
looked anxiously about him and then walking up to a funny looking
baboon, who appeared to be depot master, engaged him in earnest
conversation. The baboon took the envelope, read the address written
upon it and said "he would see."
Then he walked to the end of Jimmieboy's car and called for the porter.
"Well, whad yo' want?" asked the porter.
"Here's an invitation from the mayor to a young man who is said to be on
this car," said the baboon. "If he is, will you give it to him?"
"Certainly," said the porter, his face wreathing with smiles.
"Certainly. He's hyah."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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