He held her hand and gazed about with pride, As though to challenge those who'd say him nay; He held her hand--and nestling to her side, The interested audience heard him say; "Oh, Momie, dear, you're sweet as any rose-- I love you more dan _any_body knows." IMAGINATION Oncet, when I was a gret big man, I got mad at the way Ol' nurses bossed the childruns an' so I wouldn't stay; I jest got up and PUSHED MY HOUSE right over--yes, I did; An' then I turned the streets all round, and runned away and hid! When I come back, my childruns was cryin' awful loud, Fer nobody knowed _wher_ they lived, an' there was _such_ a crowd. I says, "Now, folks must shet their eyes--don't open them a crack!"-- An' then I straightened out the streets, an' put the houses back. 'N oncet I was a NELUPHANT, as big as all outdoors, 'N every time I turned around it shook the roofs and floors; I walked down to the river, and I drunk it up--ALL up, Jest like it was some cambric tea in my ol' silver cup. An' when the people come fer me, I jest set down, kerplunk! An' squashed 'em flat--an' picked them up--an' packed 'em in my trunk! 'N then I TWIST MY TRUNK OFF, an' throwed it all away-- You better let me go, Louise--I MIGHT do that to-day! You won't? All right--you'd BETTER DID, for one time long ago, Before I gotter be a boy, I was a BEAR--oh, no-- I was a SNAKE--a yaller snake, an' I was TEN MILES long, 'N all I et was nurse girls--yes, I DID, although 'twas wrong. That was a million years ago, but something--inside me-- Tells me I'm goin' to be a snake AGAIN--jest watch and see! You don't believe a word I say? Well, I don't care--I DO-- How could I 'MEMBER all these things, unlessen they was true? WILLING TO TRADE The doctor brung a baby up to our house last week-- A little bit of thing it is--but my! it's gotta squeak! It makes a noise that's twice as big as you expect to hear, And then ma says, "Go right away--you mustn't tease him, dear!" She seems to like it more than me-- But I ain't jealous, no, siree! I told the boys, and Billy Black, he says, "Well, that is nice, But I would rather have my dog--they're worth more at the price, For pa says babies cost a lot to feed and dress and train, And Rover, he is smart, he is, and gotter splendid brain!" I kinder feel that very way-- But ma says baby's come to stay. Frank Brown has got a billygoat that pulls him on his sled, And Kenneth's got a ponycart; but pa looked cross and said I mustn't talk so foolish when I asked him if I might Go trade our baby for a pony or a goat, last night. I s'pose he knew _nobody'd_ trade A goat for any baby made! I wouldn't mind it, I believe, if any boy I knew Would _envy_ me for what we've got, but that's what they won't do! THE LONELY CHILD