On the Landing

By Bret Harte (Francis)

BOBBY, aetat. 3. JOHNNY, aetat. 4. BOBBY DO you know why theyve put us in that back room, Up in the attic, close against the sky, And made believe our nurserys a cloak-room? Do you know why? JOHNNY No more I dont, nor why that Sammys mother, What Ma thinks horrid, cause he bunged my eye, Eats an ice cream, down there, like any other! No more dont I! BOBBY Do you know why Nurse says it isnt manners For you and me to ask folks twice for pie, And no one hits that man with two bananas? Do you know why? JOHNNY No more I dont, nor why that girl, whose dress is Off of her shoulders, dont catch cold and die, When you and me gets croup when we undresses! No more dont I! BOBBY Perhaps she aint as good as you and I is, And God dont want her up there in the sky, And lets her live to come in just when pie is Perhaps thats why! JOHNNY Do you know why that man thats got a cropped head Rubbed it just now as if he felt a fly? Could it be, Bobby, something that I dropded? And is that why? BOBBY Good boys behaves, and so they dont get scolded, Nor drop hot milk on folks as they pass by. JOHNNY (piously) Marbles would bounce on Mr. Jones bald head But I shant try! BOBBY Do you know why Aunt Jane is always snarling At you and me because we tells a lie, And she dont slap that man that called her darling? Do you know why? JOHNNY No more I dont, nor why that man with Mamma Just kissed her hand. BOBBY She hurt it and thats why; He made it well, the very way that Mamma Does do to I. JOHNNY I feel so sleepy. . . . Was that Papa kissed us? What made him sigh, and look up to the sky? BOBBY We werent downstairs, and he and God had missed us, And that was why!