A Line From Little Johnnie

mister editer -- them customs
   sensers mite treat grown-ups crook,
but us littel children trust 'em
   when we want a bonzer book.
Farey tales is pritty silly,
   nurs'ry rimes is dull and bleak;
so me and little playmate Billy
   save our pennies every week
to buy each month a magazeen
and, Oo! Ber--lud! you should 'a' seen!

such ber--lud! each page is swimmin'
   wif it.  And there's pitchers there
all of gansters and their wimmin;
   corpses, and the 'lectric chair;
gailers wif the hanged men chokin';
   banduts shootin' off their gats,
and the funny p'licemen croakin'
   wile they kicks 'em in the slats.
Goo! and last month there's a tale:
"Love-Nest Slayer Goes to Gaol!"

you can see his baby doll
   in her bedroom lyin' there
shooted proper, and -- Oo, golly!
   drefful dead and drefful bare ...
that's the stuff to give us laddies.
   custom sensers know our need.
GOO! they would n't let our daddies
   have such bonzer books to read!
Billy and me can get them tho'
down at a paper shop we know.