Father And His Car

Pa has declared right up and down

     That he would never get

An auto car of any kind,

     And meant it to, you bet.

We often brought the subject up,

     But he would nail it down;

And so he used the trolley cars

     Each day to go to town.

But by and by he moody grew,

     A most suspicious sign;

Ma worried thinking he was up

     Against a quick decline.

He itched and wiggled, and it looked

     Like fever had him tight;

And then he brought some auto books

     And soaked himself each night.

He sat up late and read and read,

     Till he was weak and thin;

And finally he bought a car

     And proudly drove it in.

Well, say, ‘twas wonderful to se

     The mighty change in pa!

He’s grinning fat and humorous

     Since he has bought a car.

April 11, 1913

For Thurs. Ap. 17, ‘13