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                  When I Was A Boy

     Originally written by my grandfather, Earnest Alton Mickle in the late 1800's or early 1900's

This was passed down to me in verbal form by my father, Clinton Zacheous Mickle, (born 4-26-1902), who explained he had substituted the name of his own friend at school, Perry McCollough, for the original name, which was Fineous Finney; and his father, E.A.Mickle in the place of Zacheous Mickle, my great-grandfather. I finished out one line (To go in school that day) which was obviously missing and probably close to the original. 


When I was a boy of 17,

ungainly, dull and tall,

as green as any gosling,

but I thought I knew it all.



I went to school at Mickle High;

I chopped up wood and chored.

I worked for Zacheous Mickle,

to pay him for my board.



One day, Fineous Finney,

another boy at school,

about as big as I,

and about as big a fool,



just hinted in a private way,

t'would be a right-smart feature,

to go in school that day,

and up and trick the teacher.



So it recess we all planned it,

we scampered in pell-mell,

I ran against the waterpail

on purpose, and I fell.



That scrawny little teacher

bounded from his chair.

He grabbed me by the coat collar,

and held me in the air.



He switched me with his ruler,

till my pants were nearly dry.

He switched me and he switched me,

till I thought that I would die.



Big Fineous Finney

was just too scared to laugh;

he let the teacher lick me

till I bellered like a calf,



And all the other boys

with scared and fightened looks

sat shaking in their very boots

with noses in their books.



Where is that scrawny little teacher,

who gave me such a scare?

He's still as sickly looking,

and he sitting over there,,,



But he taught me one great lesson,

by that flogging in the school,

that a braggart and a bully

is a coward and a fool.