POEMS  OF  SCHOOL  35

So  the  boys  began  to  study  for  some  ghost  of  an

excuse  —
They  didn't  want  to  make  it  seem  too  much  like

pure  abuse;
At   last   it   was    decided.      They    wouldn't   be    too

hard,
But  give  him  just  a  round  or  two  in  mopping  up  the

yard;
And    then    the    plan    was    cut    and    dried  —  Tom

jumped  up  all  at  once,
"Look  here,  ole  foller,  't  seems  ter  me  I  hain't  no

first-grade  dunce;
These  kind  o'  zamples  that  you  give  is  hardly  goin'

ter  stick.
We're  goin'  ter  have  a  teacher  here  what  knows

aritheiitick.''
Arithmetic   was   something   quite    important    as    a

rule,
And  it  reached  the  very  climax  after  Adams  took

the  school.
Multiples  and  great  divisors!    Not  a  mathematician

he!
Tom's   contortions   illustrated   plane   geometry,
Engineering  and  surveying;  'twas  a  great  example

that,
And  teacher  showed  them  all  at  once  he'd  got  it

right  down  pat.
He  showed  them  how  whole  numbers  were  inverted,

lo,  and  then.
How  zigzag  divers  figures  brought  them  right-side

up  again;


ao  POEMS  OF  SCHOOL

Hliow<ul    what    wjiH    mount    by    I'tactlonH    and    the

(tunbh^  nih;  of  llirce,
And  how  the  llnul  llKiire  waa  u  mInuB  quantity.
"Lookin'   for  thoHo   kind   o'   zampUiH,"   iilwayn   usod

to  Ik»  th(!  vu\v.
But  thoy  changt^d  thlH  habit  Hlightly,  after  AdaniH

took  the  Mchool.
THE  TOWER  AND   RULER.
If  —  when  1  look  around  and  ace

So  many  Hinait  folks  Imto  with  me,

So  many  liradt;  viuli  liki^  my  own,

Wi'iU  tilled  with  brain,  wril  formed  by  bone  —

i  Huy.  If  I  Hhonld  be  ho  proud

Ah  read  my  verne  a  Irllhi  loud,

I'erluipH  your  pardon  I'll  engage

Ah  well  beoomeH  the  preflent  age.
