Next morning twelve citizens came, "The man was a lawyer, I hear," Quoth the foreman who sat on the corse; A third said, "He knew the deceased, 'T was no doubt from the want of a cause." The jury decided at length, After solemnly weighing the matter, "That the lawyer was drownded, because He could not keep his head above water!” Ex. LXIII.-DOUGLAS AND MARMION. THE train from out the castle drew; SCOTT. "Though something I might plain," he said, Burned Marmion's swarthy cheek like fire, Here, in thy hold, thy vassals near, On the earl's cheek the flush of rage O'ercame the ashy hue of age: Fierce he broke forth:-"And dar'st thou then To beard the lion in his den, The Douglas in his hall? And hop'st thou hence unscathed to go? Lord Marmion turned,-well was his need, Ex. LXIV.—MISADVENTURES AT MARGATE. I was in Margate last July, I walked upon the pier, He frowned, that little vulgar boy-he deemed I meant tr scoff And when the little heart is big, a little "sets it off;" "Hark! don't you hear, my little man ?-it's striking nine," I said, “An hour when all good little boys and girls should be in bed. Run home and get your supper, else your ma' will scoldoh! fie! It's very wrong indeed for little boys to stand and cry!" The tear-drop in his little eye again began to spring, "Ah! I have n't got no supper! and I have n't got no ma' ! !— "My father, he is on the seas,-my mother's dead and gone! "If there's a soul will give me food, or find me in employ, By day or night, then blow me tight!" (he was a vulgar boy ;) "And now I'm here, from this here pier it is my fixed intent To jump, as Mr. Levi did from off the Monu-ment!" "Cheer up! cheer up! my little man-cheer up!” I kindly said, You are a naughty boy to take such things into your head: If you should jump from off the pier, you'd surely break your legs, Perhaps your neck-then Bogey 'd have you, sure as eggs are eggs! "Come home with me, my little man, come home with me and sup; My landlady is Mrs. Jones-we must not keep her upThere's roast potatoes on the fire,-enough for me and you— Come home, you little vulgar boy-I lodge at Number 2." I took him home to Number 2, the house beside "The Foy," I bade him wipe his dirty shoes,-that little vulgar boy, A then I said to Mistress Jones, the kindest of her sex, "1. ay be so good as go and fetch a pint of double X !" But Mrs. Jones was rather cross, she made a little noise, Said I might "go to Jericho, and fetch my beer myself!" I did not go to Jericho I went to Mr. Cobb I changed a shilling-(which in town the people call "a It was not so much for myself as for that vulgar child— When I came back I gazed about-I gazed on stool and chair I could not see my little friend-because he was not there! I could not see my table-spoons-I looked, but could not see I could not see my Mackintosh!-it was not to be seen! My carpet-bag--my cruet-stand, that holds my sauce and soy, My roast potatoes !—all are gone!—and so 's that vulgar boy! I rang the bell for Mrs. Jones, for she was down below, "Oh, Mrs. Jones! what do you think?—ain't this a pretty go? -That horrid little vulgar boy whom I brought here to-night, -He's stolen my things and run away!!"-Says she, "And sarve you right!!" Next morning I was up betimes-I sent the crier round, All with his bell and gold-laced hat, to say I'd give a pound To find that little vulgar boy, who'd gone and used me so; But when the crier cried "O yes!" the people cried, "O no!" I went to "Jarvis' Landing-place," the glory of the town, That sailor-man, he said he 'd seen that morning on the shore, A son of something 't was a name I'd never heard before, A little "gallows-looking chap"-dear me; what could he mean? With a "carpet swab" and "muckingtogs," and a hat turned up with green. He spoke about his "precious eyes," and said he'd seen him "sheer," -It's very odd that sailor-men should talk so very queerAnd then he hitched his trowsers up, as is, I'm told, their use, -It's very odd that sailor-men should wear those things so loose. I did not understand him well, but think he meant to say A landsman said, "I twig the chap-he's been upon the Mill And 'cause he gammons so the flats, ve calls him Veeping Bill !" He said "he'd done me very brown," and "nicely stowed the swag." That's French, I fancy, for a hat-or else a carpet-bag. I went and told the constable my property to track; Not knowing what to do, I thought I'd hasten back to town, And beg our own Lord Mayor to catch the boy who'd "done me brown." |