VERY night just before bedtime Toots and his mamma had a happy hour together.

Sometimes a friend or two would share the pleasures of this evening hour, and Toots enjoyed it much more if Bessie or Flossie, or some of his mates, could hear mamma's stories or verses written expressly for children. When Toots was quite small he was rude enough one day to strike his nurse, and after mamma had heard all the story, she read these lines about

JOHNNIE'S TROUBLES.

My mamma's sorry, now, she is;

I don' know what I'se done;

S'pec' she feels sorry jess bekause

I slapped old nurse like fun.

Old nurse she digs and shates me too;

I wish I went to stool;

Teacher won't set me down so hard,

An' call me "little fool."

She pinches awful! dess I know,

My arms is black an' blue;

She says she "hopes to do to Heaven

I hope I shan't do too.

I don't like nurses—do you now?

Dey is dest as mean as dirls;

When I dits big I'll let'em know

Dey musn't pull my turls.

My mamma she's real dood, she is;

On most the days I play

With her jess like she was a boy,

She hugs me every day.

My mamma she don't stold me none,

I dess she don't know how;

But nurse, oh, my! she spoke so loud;

Hush, she is toming now!

No, dat ain't nurse, an' ain't I glad?

I jess know what I'll do,

I'll do tell mamma I was bad,

An' I feel sorry too.

I dess Dod made my mamma sure,

She is so sweet and nice;

But who made nurse, s'pose you know?

I'll ask my Drandma Rice.

Original