JIMSIE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 307, 28 December 1935, Page 3 (Supplement)

JIMSIE.

(By .Tonn B. Curtis. 3, Alma Street, Newmarket, S.K.I; age 13.)

Jimsie is my little brother; If you chance to meet him when he has just been wa.shed and tidied you immediately think of one of those blue-eyed, curlyhaired cherubs that you see in coloufed advertisements for "Breath o' Heaven" scent. But, if you should meet Jimsie in the midst of making mud-pies, there is every possibility that you will have to puzzle out which is mud-pie and which is boy for fear you find yourself greeting a lump of mud!

One day mother rushed in waving a letter. "Janet," she cried, "your aunt is coming from Littleville next week, and

she wants us to hold a family gathering." Well, of course one has to obey the family's wishes, so accordingly we sent out invitations to my aunts and uncles. All the next week mother and I scrubbed and polished floors, washed blankets, sheets and curtains, shone brass and silver and beat carpets until the house was as clean "as a. bright new pin." The day before the gathering mother did her baking. Cream cakes, fairy cakes, sponges, sausage rolls, biscuits and scones. Needless to say Jhnsie was the terror of our lives! Every time mother turned her back he scooped his fingers into the big bowl of whipped cream, or rammed a cake into his mouth and then ran. As we were waiting for our visitors next day mother gave final, anxious instructions to Jimsie. "Now, Jimsie," she said, "don't wriggle on your chair, don't eat too much, don't say anything about Uncle Alexander's nose and —" "Don't do nothing," finished Jimsie.

"That would be impossible for you,'' replied mother dryly; Very soon the visitors arrived. Uncle Alexander, who is gifted with a nose that looks like the remains of a sausage; Aunt Eliza, the ancient relation from Littleville, who still wears elastic-sided boots and high lace collars; Uncle James, our fat and only wealthy relation (obvious,reason for Jinisie being christened James); Aunt Jane, who always sits bolt upright and makes everyone fee! uncomfortable, and lastly, Aunt Martha, a stout, jolly person, who knows everything that is worth knowing. When the relations were comfortably scttled in our best parlour,' they began the dreaded conversation, which all nieces, nephews and grandchildren hate. I refer to the one which usually starts: "Whoever is he like?" and makes you feel as though you are composed of leftovers from the rest of the family.

"He's got your big mouth, Martha," said Aunt Eliza, looking hard at Jimsie. "Well, all the better to eat with, eh, Jimsie?" laughed Aunt Martha. "Martha," remonstrated Aunt Jane. "He's got your stubborn chin, James," said Aunt Martha, ignoring Aunt Jane's uplifted eyebrows. Jinisie felt his chin, doubtfully, and then said, "It feels like mine," as though he expected to find himself rubbing Uncle James' red, stubbly chin. Mother hastily changed the subject. "Alexander," she said, "how is your farm 1" "Mum," interrupted Jimsie, "hasn't Uncle Alexander got a. funny—" 'I think you had better go and play for a while, dear," said mother quickly, rushing Jimsie through the door and shutting it. "Hasn't he got a funny nose?" yelled Jimeie through the keyhole. Once more Aunt Jane's eyebro\v& rose, while poor Uncle Alexander loosened his collar and tried to look as though he didn't sare. Again dear, fat* Aunt Martha relieved the situation: "You. must admit it's true," she said mildly. The rest of the afternoon passes peacefully enough, and I was just beginning to' forgive my dear (?) little brother, when mother called us for tea. At the dining room door everyone storied —and gasped. Jimsie, the picture of *.veet content, was balanced on the edge of the table, with what had been a dish of fruit salad on one side of him and on the other a plate with one solitary cream horn on it. "James!" said mother in an awful voice. Jimsie took one look at the maternal face, grabbed the remaining cream cake and fled through the window.