WHAT'ELL BILL

Listen, my children, and I will tell Of the "readycut" house of John What'ell. 'Twas in the y."r nineteen-ni-neteen, Never had such a house been seen Since Adam out of Eden fell.

He said to his friend: "This here's a book "Which out of my rural mail I took. "lt's got a picture in blue 'n red "And underneath the man has said- " 'This bee-you-teful house, with window seat, " 'An' front door bell an' back door cleat, " 'A! sitting-room papered in purple tones " 'ls yours for only a thousand bones'."

Then John said 'goodnight' to a thousand yen And mailed them off to the cat-house men.

A pounding of hoofs on the village road, A mixed-up pile on a wagon is seen, And on top, quite sore with his bargain, I ween, Sat John What'ell with his purchased load.

It was M.y by the Almanac

When he got the studding sorted and set. And it was much more than an even bet That he wanted to send it back.

It was June by the Calendar

When the funny warped roof was put in place. And even his friends would turn ih.ir flce And laugh when they passed it from afar.

'Twas J.rly by the Ingersoll

When he put the finishing touch on his house. It had been one long and merry carouse Buying 'extras' from the yard Down in town-and it came hard To admit he had been wrong Not to buy there all along. But he had to admit it. That's all.

You know the rest. The neighbors tell Of the house that was built by John What'ell. How it cost him twice what he had thought When from a catalog house \e bought.