XIV. I must confess I did not guess A simple marriage vow, Such unkind women now ;· I might be hashed to death, or smashed, THE BURNING OF THE LOVE-LETTER. "Sometimes they were put to the proof, by what was called the Fiery Ordeal." - HIST. ENG. No morning ever seemed so long! In my left hand "My Landlord's Tales," 'Twas twelve at last- my heart beat high! I seized the note - I flew up stairs "Twas full of love to rhyme with dove And all that tender sort of thing And stood to watch the latest spark – THE APPARITION. IN the dead of the night, when, from beds that are turfy, The spirits rise up on old cronies to call, Came a shade from the Shades on a visit to Murphy, Who had not foreseen such a visit at all. Don't shiver and shake, said the mild Apparition, I'm come to your bed with no evil design; I'm the Spirit of Moore, Francis Moore the Physician, Once great like yourself in the Almanac line. Like you I was once a great prophet on weather, And deemed to possess a more prescient knack Than dogs, frogs, pigs, cattle, or cats, all together, The donkeys that bray, and the dillies that quack. With joy, then, as ashes retain former passion, I seemed to be almost reviving myself! But, oh! from my joys there was soon a sad As too many cooks make a mull of the broth Unless you would meet with an awkwardish tumble, Oh! join like the Siamese twins in your jumps; Just fancy if Faith on her Prophets should stumble, The one in his clogs, and the other in pumps ! But think how the people would worship and wonder, you To find "hail fellows, well met," in your hail, In one tune with your rain, and your wind, and your thunder, "'Fore God," they would cry, "they are both in a tale!" LITTLE O'P.-AN AFRICAN FACT. It was July the First, and the great hill of Howth Of all the Cork boys that the vessel could boast, "Bash Kuku my gimmel bo gumborry bung!" Then blew a long shell, to the fright of our elf, And down came a hundred as black as himself. They brought with them guattul, and pieces of klam, The first was like beef, and the second like lamb; "Don't I know," said O'P., "what the wretches are at? They're intending to eat me as soon as I'm fat!" He would not let chobbery enter his mouth, But kicked down the krug shell, tho' sweetened with natt, "I ain't to be pisoned the likes of a rat!" And the Bok that it came from is grazing about. And say that she comes as his Wulwul from me.” |