LITTLE JOHNNY'S PIECE ABOUT THE "OPOSSUM."

Otago Witness, Issue 1419, 1 February 1879, Page 33

LITTLE JOHNNY'S PIECE ABOUT THE "OPOSSUM."

If there is anything in names, this animil comes from Ireland, but them thats here calls theii-3elfa jess Possums, like they was natif born. Possums has a sharp nose and a long bald-heded tale, wich is always cold, never mind the wether. Its jess like their tales was ded and no money for the funeral peformanoe. The ole she oneß has got a tobacco pouch on the out side of their stummuckses, anwentbe liitle ones iB a fraid they smuggles in and dont care a copper wot be comes of their ole mother wich is outside. When a dog finds a possum and it cant git to a tre it lies down and pretends lik. it waß dead. One time thsre was a dog wich didenfc kno possums found one a lying like ded, aad after rolling it over a wile an emelliu it, the dog twinkled his ear as much to say : "Mity good job for you ole fellow, that you was dead fore I come along." An then the dog he lay down and went a sleep. Wen the possum see the dog a sleep it stood up on its feet to go away, but jest then the dog woke up. Sech a f riten possum you never see, and seen a friten dog you never see too, but the dog most. It got up, the dog did, and made for home, yellin like its heart was brok, and fore it got home it had changed with scare from a black Nufoundling pup to a ole bull dog, wite like Gaffer Peterscs hei !