Page:The Glugs of Gosh (C. J. Dennis, 1917).djvu/56

44 And his parents' claims were a deal denied By his maiden aunt on his mother's side, A tall Glug lady of fifty-two With a slight moustache of an auburn hue. "Parental blither!" she said quite flat. "He's an average Glug; and he's red and fat! And exceedingly fat and red at that!"

But the father, Joi, when he gazed on Sym, Dreamed great and wonderful things for him. Said he, "If the mind of a Glug could wake Then, Oh, what a wonderful Glug he'd make! We shall teach this laddie to play life's game With a different mind and a definite aim: A Glug in appearance, yet not the same."

But the practical aunt said, "Fudge! You fool! We'll pack up his dinner and send him to school. He shall learn about two-times and parsing and capes. And how to make money with inches on tapes. We'll apprentice him then to the drapery trade, Where, I've heard it reported, large profits are made; Besides, he can sell us cheap buttons and braid."

So poor young Sym he was sent to school, Where the first thing taught is the Golden Rule.