Out of Hamelin town in Brunswick land, XV So, Willy, let me and you be wipers Of scores out with all men-especially pipers! And, whether they pipe us free fróm rats or fróm mice, If we've promised them aught, let us keep our promise! 37 THE WELL OF ST. KEYNE ROBERT SOUTHEY A well there is in the West country, An oak and an elm tree stand beside, A traveler came to the well of St. Keyne; For from cock-crow he had been traveling, He drank of the water so cool and clear, There came a man from the neighboring town At the well to fill his pail, On the well-side he rested it, And bade the stranger hail. "Now art thou a bachelor, stranger?" quoth he, "For an if thou hast a wife, The happiest draught thou hast drank this day That ever thou didst in thy life. "Or has your good woman, if one you have, In Cornwall ever been? For an if she have, I'll venture my life She has drank of the well of St. Keyne." "I have left a good woman who never was here," The stranger he made reply; "But that my draught should be better for that, I pray you answer me why." "St. Keyne," quoth the countryman, “many a time Drank of this crystal well, And before the angel summoned her She laid on the water a spell. "If the husband of this gifted well A happy man thenceforth is he, "But if the wife should drink of it first, Heaven help the husband then!" The stranger stooped to the well of St. Keyne, And drank of the waters again. “You drank of the well I warrant, betimes ?” He to the countryman said. But the countryman smiled as the stranger spake, “I hastened, as soon as the wedding was done, But i' faith, she had been wiser than me, 38 THE DEACON'S MASTERPIECE Or, The Wonderful “One-Hoss Shay” OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES A LOGICAL STORY Have you heard of the wonderful one-hoss shay, It ran a hundred years to a day, And then, of a sudden, it—ah, but stay, Frightening people out of their wits,— Seventeen hundred and fifty-five, Saw the earth open and gulp her down, 1. Snuffy old drone from the German hive. George II, King of England, belonged to the House of Hanover, Germany. And Braddock's army was done so brown, It was on the terrible Earthquake-day Now in building of chaises, I tell you what, But the Deacon swore, (as Deacons do, With an "I dew vum," or an "I tell yeou,") He would build one shay to beat the taown 'N' the keounty 'n' all the kentry raoun'; It should be so built that it couldn't break daown; "Fur," said the Deacon, "t's mighty plain That the weakes' place mus' stan' the strain; 'N' the way t' fix it, uz I maintain, Is only jist T' make that place uz strong uz the rest." So the Deacon inquired of the village folk Never an axe had seen their chips, And the wedges flew from between their lips, Do! I tell you, I rather guess She was a wonder, and nothing less! Children and grandchildren—where were they? EIGHTEEN HUNDRED;—it came and found Eighteen hundred and twenty came; Running as usual; much the same. And then came fifty, and FIFTY-FIVE. Little of all we value here Wakes on the morn of its hundredth year Take it.—You're welcome.-No extra charge.) |