Boys -- Juvenile fiction; Children's stories, American; Fantasy literature; Short stories, American
"There isn't much there, though," said Jimmieboy, a little disappointed
by the result. "I guess Pad's right. We'd better give it up."
"Not yet," pleaded the Pencil. "There's luck in odd numbers, you know.
Let's try it just once more."
"Shall we, Jimmieboy?" asked the Pad.
"Yes. Let's," assented Jimmieboy, as he dropped off to sleep for the
third time.
This time he must have slept five minutes. When he opened his eyes he
saw the Pencil staring blankly at the Pad, on which was written nothing
more than this curious looking formula:
2
2
-
4
"How aggravating!" said Jimmieboy.
"Abominable!" ejaculated the Pad.
"I believe it's a key to what has gone before," said the Pencil, shaking
his rubber wisely. "Two and two make four--two and two make four. Ah! I
know. You've got to put two and two together to make four. If we put
those two leaves of nonsensical words together, maybe we'll have a poem.
Let's try."
"It'll use me up, I'm afraid," sighed the Pad.
"Oh, no. It won't take more than a half of you," said the Pencil,
putting the two leaves on which Jimmieboy had first written together.
"It looks like a poem," he said, when he had fitted the two together.
"Let's see how it reads.
"I have not seen them since.
And if my memory's not wrong,
They both were dressed in chintz,
With that the couple walked along;"
"That doesn't mean a blessed thing," said the Pad.
"It's nonsense," said Jimmieboy.
"Just wait!" said the Pencil, beginning to read again:
And straightway change your vest."
For you to go upstairs with me,
Replied, "I think it's best
"If that's the case," the Snickersnee
And catch the early train."
I hadn't time to leave the shop
"My reason for it's plain;
"I know it," said the Polypop;
"Since two weeks yesterday."
You haven't uttered one small cheer
Oh, Polypop, I say,
Then quoth the Snickersnee, "See here,
He didn't pay his fee.
And as the moon was shining bright,
To see the Snickersnee,
The Polypop came down one night
"Ho!" jeered the Pad. "That's elegant poetry, that is. You might get
paid five cents a mile for stuff like that, if you wanted to sell it and
had luck."
"I don't care," said the Pencil. "It rhymes well."
"Oh, I know what's the matter," said Jimmieboy, gleefully. "Why, of
course it's poetry. Read it upside down, and it's all right. It's dream
poetry, and dreams always go the other way. Why, it's fine. Just
listen:
"The Polypop came down one night
To see the Snickersnee,
And, as the moon was shining bright,
He didn't pay his fee."
"That is good," said the Pad. "Let me say the next:
"Then, quoth the Snickersnee, 'See here,
Oh, Polypop, I say,
You have not uttered one small cheer
Since two weeks yesterday.'"
"I thought it would come out right," said the Pencil. "The next two
verses are particularly good, too:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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