Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 November 1891 — CHILDREN’S COLUMN. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CHILDREN’S COLUMN.

A DEPARTMENT FOR LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS. Something that Will Interest the Juvenile Members of Every Household Quaint Actions and bright Sayings oi Cute Children. To Malcolm Douglas. A very bright man made a droll little rhyme; Boom—boom—boom! I’ve wished that he hadn'4 full many a time; Boom—bcom—boom! I said, “Now, this book may bo hidden away. This rhyme is so fuuny I’ll learn it to say, Borne child will be wanting a story some day.» Boom—boom—bcooj! To learn it was only a brief moment’s task, Boom—tidera-da—boom! (Now v once to forget it is all that I ask!) Boom—tlderu-da—boom! Then quickly I tried it on two little boys Who reveled in games that made plenty of noise, But this pleased them better than all of their toys— Boom—tidera-da—boom! And, bearing me say it, the little boys, too. Boom—tidera-da—boom! With very slight practice could say it all through— Boom—tidera-da—boom'. And over and over, and over once more, We’d say it while marching and pounding the floor. Till some wicked people—well, really, they swore At our boom—tidera-da—boom-a-diddle-dee— Boom—tldera-da- boom! And ever since then X have lost all my peace; Boom—tidera-da—boom! For, waking or sleeping, it never will cease; Boom—tidera-da—boom! Though the trials of many were grievous to bear With that fiendish old jingle of “Punch with care,” Compared with this torment, they’re simply nowhere! Boom tidera-da boom-a-diddle-dee— Boom tidera-da boom! It’s worn on my nerves till I’m ready to drop; Boom—tldera- da —boom! But, horror of horrors, it never will stop! Boom—tldera-da—boom! ’Gainst reading or preaching it still holds Its own. And even when Into my parlor were shown Some strangers, my greeting, in solemnest tone, Was, “Boom tidera-da boom-a-diudle dee— Boom—tidera-da—boom!.” It would seem the bright man Must be worse off stijl; Boom—tidera-da—boom! I should like to inquire if he’s really ill; Boom—tidera-da - boom! But the mischief has gone to my head like wine, And, just as I’m going to say something fine, I can’t even get to the end of the lins Without boom—tidera-da—boom— Boom—tidera-da—boom— Boom tidera-da —boom-a-diddle-aee— Boom—Boom—BOOMl —St. Nicholas. The Story of a Proud Penny. A penny, having traveled around the world a bit, became very proud and conceited. “I belong to the peerless aristocracy of money,” it said to itself and to all who would listen. “There is no one who does not bend the knee to my family; we are sought after by the proudest people on earth, and we rule the world. ” One day the penny was talking in this strain to an iron nail. The nail and the penny chanced to rest side by side in a workman’s pocket. The

man was a carpenter who had been engaged to complete some work upon the balcony of a new house. His wife was busily engaged scrubbing the floors and cleaning the windows of the new house. “It must be very dull and humiliating to be a nail,” said the penny. “You are obliged to occupy such a menial position in life.” “Oh, I do not know about that, ” answered the nail. “We nails help to hold homes together, and that is a noble mission I am sure; and whatever our niche in life may be, we realize that we belong to the great iron race—we are proud of the stuff we are made of." “Oh, a 6 for that, you have little to boast about,” sneered the penny. “Think of my family—the proudest and greatest on earth. We could buy yours up and pitch you into the sea if we cared to do so, and the world would go on without you. Men would invent something to take your place. But society could not exist without us. ” “But you are a mere nobody in your own family,” retorted the naik| becoming angry. “Your gold and silver relations look down upon • you—common copper that you are. ” “Oh, it is mere spleen which makes you talk like that” replied the penny. “You know very well that it is taking

good care of me and treating me well that gives men a chance to possess my grand relatives. Any one who dispises me is never the associate of silver or gold. lam welcomed in every circle, I am petted and sought after wherever I go. Already I have traveled over half the world. My life is full of adventure and excitement. Although now I am housed in an obscure workman’s pocket, to-morrow I may be reposing in the purse of a prince. No such future awaits you. You are doomed to an obscure and humdrum existence.”

Just then the workman’s wife com* plained that she could not remove the paint stains from jiff the windows she was attempting to clean. “Why, let m» tell you how to do that,” said the werkman. “A painter told me only the other day. Take a penny under your thumb and rub it over the paint spots. They will all disappear. It is far better than a knife. Here is a penny—try it.” He took the boastful penny from his pocket and the woman did as directed. The paint disappeared as if by magic. “I am so glad to know about this,’* said the woman. “I will keep this penny with my scrub-brushes and scouring cloths, that I may always be prepared for such an emergency. ” And thereafter the proud penny remained with scrub-brushes, while the nail was afterwards used to fasten a United States banner to the mast of a ship.