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Oh, Billy, we're going to kill and eat you."

[graphic]

"First let me say my catechism,

Which my poor mammy taught to me." “Make haste, make haste,” says guzzling Jimmy, While Jack pulled out his snickersnee.

So Billy went up to the main-topgallant mast,
And down he fell on his bended knee.
He scarce had come to the twelfth commandment
When up he jumps. "There's land I see:

“Jerusalem and Madagascar,

And North and South Amerikee: There's the British flag a-riding at anchor, With Admiral Napier, K. C. B."

So when they got aboard the Admiral's
He hanged fat Jack and flogged Jimmee;
But as for little Bill he made him

The captain of a Seventy-three.

William Makepeace Thackeray

THE BACHELOR'S DREAM

My pipe is lit, my grog is mixed,
My curtains drawn and all is snug;
Old Puss is in her elbow-chair,
And Tray is sitting on the rug.
Last night I had a curious dream,
Miss Susan Bates was Mistress Mogg -
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

She looked so fair, she sang so well,
I could but woo and she was won;
Myself in blue, the bride in white,
The ring was placed, the deed was done!
Away we went in chaise-and-four,
As fast as grinning boys could flog·
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

What loving tête-à-têtes to come!
But tête-à-têtes must still defer!
When Susan came to live with me,
Her mother came to live with her!
With sister Belle she couldn't part,
But all my ties had leave to jog —
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

The mother brought a pretty Poll —
A monkey too, what work he made!
The sister introduced a beau

My Susan brought a favorite maid.
She had a tabby of her own,

A snappish mongrel christened Gog, —
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

The monkey bit the parrot screamed,
All day the sister strummed and sung;
The petted maid was such a scold!
My Susan learned to use her tongue;
Her mother had such wretched health,
She sate and croaked like any frog
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

No longer Deary, Duck, and Love,
I soon came down to simple “M!”
The very servants crossed my wish,
My Susan let me down to them.
The poker hardly seemed my own,
I might as well have been a log-
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

My clothes they were the queerest shape! Such coats and hats she never met!

My ways they were the oddest ways!

My friends were such a vulgar set!

Poor Tomkinson was snubbed and huffed,
She could not bear that Mister Blogg
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

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