A boy twelve years old with an air of melancholy resignation, went to his teacher and handed in the following note from his mother before taking his seat:
"Dear Sir: Please excuse James for not being present yesterday.
"He played truant, but you needn't whip him for it, as the boy he played truant with and him fell out, and he licked James; and a man they threw stones at caught him and licked him; and the driver of a cart they hung onto licked him; and the owner of a cat they chased licked him. Then I licked him when he came home, after which his father licked him; and I had to give him another for being impudent to me for telling his father. So you need not lick him until next time.
