WEEKLY WHIMS.

Observer, Volume 6, Issue 149, 21 July 1883, Page 11

WEEKLY WHIMS.

_ r tl You can alius fetch the British Puhlic witk a top note." — Maccabe Mother says we mustn't Get annexing any more ; She thinks we bare sufficient With wbat we bad before. As yet we are but children, And alone can bardly walk, So we mustn't get too bumptious, Or indulge in too tall talk. Mamas extremely prudent — And very rightly too ; But of course we tbink we're wisest, As children always do. She treats us very kindly, , , • T'berei^^^4]i^ati^^t:bat |^ But now and then she gives tuT"^"' " x - A little warning pat. She thought us still too youthful To know wbat we were at, So on our aspirations Dear Motber gently sat. 'Twas rather rough upon us, Bnt perhaps it serves us right, For, truth to tell, our action Was scarcely quite polite. We should have asked permission Before we did a thing Thafc quite a heap of trouble On poor Mama might bring.. Perhaps it is much better To wait a little bit, rFor, as we're growing older, Of course we get more " fit." Although there's no disputing Annexation's very nice, It's just as well beforehand To reckon up the price. Though Mother's getting aged, She's sharp enough to tell We fain would eat the oyster, And leave her with the shell. So, as tbis doesn't suit her, She hardly is to blame For having put a stopper Upon our little game. And now, like naughty children, Who leap before they look, We feel a little foolish When we are brought t© book. But though we got a snubbing For gettiug on too fast, No doubt we'll get our own way, And do the trick at last. We can't afford to quarrel With Mother for a wee, For though we're pretty hearty, We're not so strong as she. We'd like to have New G-uinea, Besides the Hebrides — In fact to be the bosses Of the South Pacific Seas. We'd like to have an army And a navy of our own ;< We think we're big and ugly Enough to run alone. We're loth to spend a penny t To aid in our defence, But like to be protected At Mother's own oxpense. We'd like to bounce our neighbours, Or else to put them through ; Make peace or war, or such things, As grown-up nations do. We'd fain be independent Of Mother's leading strings, And yet retain the safety That our depenclance brings. We'd like to cut the painter, And yet not drift too much ; We'd like to use our own legs, And yet not lose our crutch. We love to think thafc we are Much smarter than our " Ma," j And yet we'd fee?- but queer | If she should say " ta-ta." j Should leave us vainly trying j The Frenchman fpr to whack, j •I guess we'd soon be crying, " Oh, Mother, take us back!" We're very independenfc-*-At least we think we are j Put sfciU we find .that soinehov We must obey Mama J Vsm WHIBTLB,