4. He seized on a vein, and gave such a bite,
And he gave, with his fangs, such a tug—
She shrieked! Bruno ran up the stairs in a fright;
The guests followed after, when brought to the light,
Mercy on us!" they cried, "what a bug!"

4.-PARODY.

1. Он, ever thus since childhood's hour,
We've seen our fondest hopes decay;
We never raised a calf, or cow, or
Hen that laid an egg a day,
But it was "marked" and took away.

2. We never raised a sucking pig,
To glad us with its sunny eye,
But when 't was grown up fat and big,
And fit to roast, or broil, or fry-
We could not find it in the sty.

CCXXXIV. THE OLD HAT.

1. I HAD a hat-it was not all a hat-
Part of the brim was gone-yet still I wore
It on, and people wondered, as I passed;
Some turned to gaze-others, just cast an eye,
And soon withdrew it, as 't were in contempt.
But still, my hat, although so fashionless,
In complement extern, had that within,
Surpassing show-my head continued warm,
Being sheltered from the weather, spite of all
The want (as has been said) of shading brim.

2. A change came o'er the color of my hat.
That which was black grew brown, and then men stared
With both their eyes, (they stared with one before ;)
The wonder now was twofold-and it seemed
Strange, that things so torn, and old, should still
Be worn, by one who might-but let that pass!
I had my reasons, which might be revealed,
But for some counter reasons far more strong,
Which tied my tongue to silence. Time passed on.
Green spring and flowery summer, autumn brown,

And frosty winter came,-and went, and came,—
And still, through all the seasons of two years,
In park, in city, yea, in routs and balls,

The hat was worn, and borne. Then folks grew wilà
With curiosity-and whispers rose,

And questions passed about-how one so trim

In coats, boots, pumps, gloves, trowsers, could ensconce
His caput in a covering so vile.

3. A change came o'er the nature of my hat.
Grease-spots appeared; but still, in silence, on
I wore it; and then family and friends
Glared madly at each other. There was one,
Who said-but hold! no matter what was said,
A time may come when I-away, away—
Not till the season 's ripe, can I reveal

Thoughts that do lie too deep for common minds;
Till then, the world shall not pluck out the heart
Of this my mystery. When I will—I will!
The hat was greasy now, and old, and torn-
But torn, old, greasy, still I wore it on.

4. A change came o'er the business of this hat.
Women, and men, and children scowled on me;
My company was shunned-I was alone-
None would associate with such a hat-
Friendship itself proved faithless, for a hat.
She that I loved, within whose gentle breast
I treasured up my heart, looked cold as death:
Love's fires went out, extinguished by a hat.
Of those that knew me best, some turned aside,
And scudded down dark lanes-one man did place
His finger on his nose's side, and jeered—
Others, in horrid mockery, laughed outright;
Yea, dogs, deceived by instinct's dubious ray,
Fixing their swart glare on my ragged hat,
Mistook me for a beggar, and they barked.
Thus women, men, friends, strangers, lover, dogs-
One thought pervaded all-it was, my hat.

5. A change it was the last-came o'er this hat
For lo! at length, the circling months went round,
The period was accomplished, and one day
This tattered, brown, old greasy coverture,
(Time had endeared its vileness,) was transferred

To the possession of a wandering son

Of Israel's fated race, and friends once more
Greeted my digits with the wonted squeeze:
Once more I went my way along, along,

And plucked no wondering gaze; the hand of scorn,
With its annoying finger, men and dogs,

Once more grew pointless, jokeless, laughless, growlless;
And last, not least, of rescued blessings-love,

Love smiled on me again, when I assumed

A brand-new beaver of the Andre mold;

And then the laugh was mine, for then came out
The secret of this strangeness-'t was a bet!

1. Two honest tradesmen meeting in the Strand,
One took the other briskly by the hand;
"Hark ye," said he, "'t is an odd story this,
About the crows!"-"I do n't know what it is,"
Replied his friend. "No! I'm surprised at that;
Where I come from it is the common chat:
But you shall hear: an odd affair indeed!
And that it happened, they are all agreed;
Not to detain you from a thing so strange,
A gentleman, that lives not far from 'Change,
This week, in short, as all the alley knows,
Taking a puke, has thrown up three black crows.

"

2. "Impossible!"-" Nay, but it's really true, I had it from good hands, and so may you." "From whose, I pray?" So, having named the man, Straight to inquire, his curious comrade ran. "Sir, did you tell ?"-relating the affair"Yes, sir, I did; and if it's worth your care,

Ask Mr. Such-a-one, he told it me;

But, by the by, 't was two black crows, not three."

3. Resolved to trace so wondrous an event, Whip to the third, the virtuoso went. "Sir,"-and-so-forth-" Why, yes; the thing's a fact Though, in regard to number, not exact;

It was not two black crows, 't was only one;

The truth of that you may depend upon,

The gentleman himself told me the case.

"Where may I find him?" "Why-in such a place."

4. Away he goes, and, having found him out

'Sir, be so good as to resolve a doubt."

Then, to his last informant, he referred,

And begged to know if true, what he had heard.

66

'Did you, sir, throw up a black crow?"

"Bless me! how people propagate a lie!

Black crows have been thrown up, three, two, and one,
And here I find, at last, all comes to none!
Did you say nothing of a crow at all?"
"Crow-crow-perhaps I might, now I recall
The matter over." "And pray, sir, what was 't?"
"Why, I was horrid sick, and, at the last,

I did throw up, and told my neighbor so,
Something that was as black, sir, as a crow

CCXXXVI.-CHAR-CO-O-AL!

1. THE chimney soot was falling fast,
As through the streets and alleys passed
A man who sang, with noise and din,
This word of singular meanin,

3. In muddy streets he did descry

The "moire antiques" held high and dry,
With feet and ankles shown too well,

And from his lips escaped a yell!—
Char-co-o-al!

4. "Do n't go there!" was the warning sound;
The pipes have all burst underground,
The raging torrent 's deep and wide;"
But loud his trumpet voice replied,

Char-co-o-al!

5. "Oh stop!" good Biddy cried, "and lave
A brimful peck upon this pave.”
A smile his inky face came o'er,
And on he went with louder roar,
Char-co-o-al!

6. "Beware of Main street crossing deep,
Away from Walnut gutter keep!"
This was the sweeper's only greet,
A voice replied far up the street,
Char-co-o-al!

7. At set of sun, as homeward went,
The joyous men of cent per cent,
Counting the dollars in their till,

A voice was heard, both loud and shrill,
Char-co-o-al!

8. A man upon the watchman's round,
Half-steeped in mud and ice was found,
Shouting with voice, though not so strong,
That awful word which heads my song,
Char-co-o-al!

9. There in the gas-light, dim and gray,
Dreaming unconsciously he lay,
And from his nose, turned up still more,
Came sounding like a thrilling snore—
Char-co-o-al!

CCXXXVII.-ALL TIPSY BUT ME.

1. Our of the tavern I've just stepped to-night-
Street! you are caught in a very bad plight;
Right hand and left hand are both out of place—
Street, you are drunk; 't is a very clear case.

2. Moon! 't is a very queer figure you cut-
One eye is staring while t' other is shut-
Tipsy, I see, and you 're greatly to blame;
Old as you are, 't is a horrible shame.

3. Then the street lamps-what a scandalous sight!
None of them soberly standing upright:
KIDD-37