No Cigar

[snowyday]

Little Sophia was heartbroken when her pet canary died,

and to pacify her, father gave her an empty cigar box, and,

with much ceremony, assisted in burying the box in the garden.

Daddy, whispered Sophia after the funeral was over,

will my dear little birdie go to heaven?

I expect so, replied the father, why?

I was only thinking, murmured the youngster, how cross St. Peter

will be when he opens the box and finds it isn’t cigars after all.

* * * *