Explore "A Visit from Young Gloom" by Ring Lardner on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
There's been a young stranger at our house, / A baby whom nobody knew; / Who hated his brother, his father, his mother, / And made them aware of it, too.
He stayed with us nearly a fortnight / And carried a grouch all the while, / Nor promise nor present could make him look pleasant; / He hadn't the power to smile.
He cried when he couldn't have something; / He cried just as hard when he could; / Kind words by the earful but made him more tearful, / And scoldings did just as much good.
He stormed when his meals weren't ready, / And when they were ready, he screamed.
He went to bed growling, got up again howling / And quarreled and snarled as he dreamed.
He's gone, and the child we are fond of / Is back, just as nice as of old.
But I hope to be in some port European / The next time he has a bad cold.