So I just got into a nice little doze, when in came I never was so mortified in all my life - never! my mother; And "for shame, Peter," she said, “to be a-bed now! well, you can't go with your brother!" ZEDEKIAH.-You sent them off, I should think, with PETER. Grunting and tumbling one over the other, Well, as I was just then standing, grieving over the Then out of the door she went, without another word; And just then a sound of wheels, and of pawing horses' hoofs I heard; So I jumped up to the window to see what it was, I heard Thomas call, "Master Peter, come and see and I declare what the rats have been doingThere was a grand party of fine folks setting off They've eaten all the guinea-pigs' heads off!” somewhere: ZEDEKIAH.-Oh, Peter, was it true? There was my brother, mounted on the pony so sleek PETER.-Away I ran, not knowing what in the world and brown; to do! And Bell in her white frock, and my mother in her And there — I declare it makes me quite shudder to satin gown; And my father in his best, and two gentlemen beside; And I had never heard a word about it, either of drive or ride! the boneLay all my pretty little guinea-pigs as dead as a stone! "It's no manner of use," says Thomas, "setting traps; for you see I really think it was very queer of them to set off in They no more care for a trap, than I do for a pea; If I'd only known over-night, I'd have been up by break of day! As you may think, I was sadly vexed, but I did not choose to show it, So I whistled as I came down stairs, that the servants might not know it; I'll lay my life on 't, there are twenty rats now down in that hole, And we can no more reach 'em, than an underground mole!"' I declare, Zedekiah, I never passed such a day be fore - not I; It makes me quite low-spirited, till I'm ready to cry. Then I went into the yard, and called the dog by his All those pretty guinea-pigs! and I've nothing left at all, name, For I thought if they were gone, he and I might have Only the hawk, and I've just set his cage on the wall. a good game; ZEDEKIAH.-Hush! hush, now! for Thomas is saying something there, But I called and called, and there was no dog either in this place or th' other; PETER-What d'ye say, Thomas? And Thomas said, "Master Peter, Neptune's gone THOMAS.-The hawk's soaring in the air! The with your brother." Well, as there was no dog, I went to look for the fox, And sure enough the chain was broke, and there was no creature in the box; But where the fellow was gone nobody could say, He had broken loose himself, I suppose, and so had slipped away; cage-door was open, and he 's flown clean away! PETER.-There now, Zedekiah, is it not an unfortunate day? I've lost all my favourites-I've nothing left at all, And my garden is spoiled, and I've had such a dreadful fall! I wish I had been up this morning as early as the sun, I would give anything I have but to find the fox And then I should have gone to Canonley, nor have againhad all this mischief done! And was it not provoking, Zedekiah, to lose him just I'm sure it's quite enough to make me cry for a yearthen? Let's go into the house, Zedekiah; what's the use of sitting here? ZEDEKIAH.-Provoking enough! Well, Peter, and what happened next? PETER. Why, when I think of it now, it makes me quite vexed; I went into the garden, just to look about To see, if the green peas were ready, or the scarletlychnis come out; And there, what should I clap my eyes on but the old sow, And seven little pigs, making a pretty row! The old sow, she had grubbed up my rosemary and And my phlox and my sunflowers, and my hollyhocks, that were as black as soot; And every flower that I set store on was ruined for ever; THE YOUNG MOURNER. "T was thus a fair young mourner said, And how she kindly looked and smiled, You never sighed as now you do ; "Father, I can remember when "And the next morn they did not speak, "Oh, then I thought how she was kind, I thought there ne'er was such another! "Poor little Charles, and I! that day "I wish my mother had not died, We never have been glad since then ; They say, and is it true," she cried, "That she can never come again?" The father checked his tears, and thus And the grey pony that can dance so well; Well, unto this same fair, A famous dancing bear, And several monkeys on his back he bore; Now as night's curtain had begun to drop, And they had travelled far, The master of the bear resolved to stop, Just where the town lay stretching out before ye, Until the morning, at the Golden Star; So, without more ado, The bear was led And the pure precepts she has given; Like her, be humble, free from ill, And you shall see her face in heaven!" THE BEAR AND THE BAKERS. A TRUE STORY. IN the old town in which I live, In this town is an annual fair, Such as, I will be bound to say, May not be met with everywhere. Then all the people look extremely gay, Then there are cows, and sheep, and pigs to sell, And booths are ranged in rows, And pins, and gloves, and bracelets, combs, and boxes; Horses and coaches, whips and penny trumpets : Filled with sweet cakes and ginger-bread and crum- But on he went, pets; And then there is the learned pig, And the great "Mister Bigg," The famous English Patagonian; Down to a neighbouring lane, PART II. "T WAS on the confines of that common hoary, "I was to the back of such a house he came, Without being in the least to blaine, Into a well-stored larder. In this small house there dwelt another baker, Of cakes and ginger-bread, a noted maker, No wonder let it be, therefore, That there was such a store And pies just ready for the knife and fork. These things just standing under bruin's nose, Would make him long to have a little taste; Headlong he plunged - a lumbering weight- And he should fall so far and heavily; The baker being awakened by this din, Most stoutly he began to bellow- All this poor bruin heard, And much he marvelled at his case; He dared not reconnoitre, nor look out, Though it was very much against his will. He saw the earliest passing countrywoman; And now he heard the clocks strike four; And now,-O welcome sight, He, in the Golden Star, beheld a light! While Jack, to notice all these things was able, A very decent sort of barricade, Of chair and table; So that the foe, if he had been inclined The thing impracticable. This done, soon as the clock struck four, The baker left his door; But all so silently, That the trapped enemy Might still suppose him watching at his post, Down to the Golden Star in haste he ran, And all indignant at the thieves' audacity: All men, even thieves, have an improved capacity!" They called up every guest, Carter, and cattle-driver, groom and jockey, And the bear's master, wild and black; To muster such a party at his back. Unto the house they came, and pulled down, first, The formidable barricade; And then they grew afraid, Lest out the dreadful enemy should burst. At length each heart grew bolder, And o'er his neighbour's shoulder Each held a lighted candle; and, en masse, Sprang in a moment to his hinder legs, The thieves were nothing but a dancing-bear! And yet he took it in good part, And tried to laugh with all his heart, "T was told at every booth and every stall, THE SOLDIER'S STORY. "HEAVEN bless the boys!" the old man said, "I hear their distant drumming,Young Arthur Bruce is at their head, And down the street they 're coming. "And a very noble standard too He carries in the van; A glow of pride passed o'er his cheek, "It seems to me but yesterday They made a halt, those merry boys, Before the aged man; And "tell us now some story wild," Young Arthur Bruce began; "Of battle and of victory Tell us some stirring thing!" The old man raised his arm aloft, And cried, "God save the king! "A soldier's is a life of fame, A life that hath its meed They write his wars in printed books, That every man may read. "And if you'd hear a story wild, Of war and battle done, I am the man to tell such tales, "In every quarter of the globe I've fought by sea, by land; And scarce for five and fifty years Was the musket from my hand. "But the bloodiest wars, and fiercest too, That were waged on any shore, Were those in which my strength was spent, In the country of Mysore. "And oh! what a fearful, deadly clime Is that of the Indian land, Where the burning sun shines fiercely down On the hot and fiery sand! "The life of man seems little worth, And his arm hath little power His very soul within him dies, As dies a broken flower. "Yet spite of this, was India made "And like a temple is each house, "He rides on the lordly elephant, "Yet it is a dreadful clime! and we Up in the country far Were sent, we were two thousand men, "The soldiers died in the companies As if the plague had been; And soon in every twenty men, The dead were seventeen. "We went to storm a fort of mud "We were in all three hundred souls, Like walking spectres of the tomb, "Yet Arthur Bruce, now standing there, With the ensign of his band, Reminds me of a gallant youth, Who fought at my right hand. "Scarce five and twenty years of age, Yet with the bearing of a king, 66 But a silent grief was in his eye, And his colour went and came. "He marched by my side for seven days, "They fought with us like tigers. "We watched that young man,—he to us Was as a kindling hope; We saw him pressing on and on, But he seized the banner with his left, Without a moment's stand. "He mounted upward to the wall; He waved the standard high,— But then another smote him! And the captain standing by "Said, "Of this gallant youth take care, "There was no tree about the place, "I took the feather from my cap, I gave him water, drop by drop, MARIEN LEE. NOT a care hath Marien Lee, Dwelling by the sounding sea! Her young life's a flowery way :Without toil from day to day, Without bodings for the morrow,— Marien was not made for sorrow! Like the summer-billows wild Marien, some are rich in gold, THE CHILD'S LAMENT. I LIKE it not- this noisy street I never liked, nor can I now- So long ago, 'tis like a dream - Three happy brothers I had then, My merry playmates every day I've looked and looked through street and square, But never chanced I, anywhere, To see such boys as they. |