Wild Flowers | Page 6

eat up our good cheer.
"Says he, 'Thank God for what's before us;?"'That thus we meet agen,'?"The mingling voices, like a chorus,?"Join'd cheerfully, 'Amen.'--
"Welcome and plenty, there they found 'em,?"The ribs of beef grew light;?"And puddings--till the boys got round 'em,?"And then they vanish'd quite!
"Now all the guests, with Farmer Crouder,?"Began to prate of corn;?"And we found out they talk'd the louder,?"The oftner pass'd the Horn.
"Out came the nuts; we set a cracking;?"The ale came round our way;?"By gom we women fell a clacking?"As loud again as they.
"John sung 'Old Benbow' loud and strong,?"And I, 'The Constant Swain,'?"'Cheer up my Lads,' was Simon's song,?"'We'll conquer them again.'
"Now twelve o'clock was drawing nigh,?"And all in merry cue;?"I knock'd the cask, 'O, ho!' said I,?"'We've almost conquer'd you.'
"My Lord[Footnote: The leader of the reapers.] begg'd round, and held his hat,?"Says Farmer Gruff, says he,?"There's many a Lord, Sam, I know that,?"Has begg'd as well as thee.'
"Bump in his hat the shillings tumbl'd?"All round among the folks;?"'Laugh if you wool,' said Sam, and mumbl'd,?"'You pay for all your jokes.'
"Joint stock you know among the men,?"To drink at their own charges;?"So up they got full drive, and then?"Went out to halloo largess.[Footnote: See advertisement.]
"And sure enough the noise they made!!--?--"But let me mind my tale;?"We follow'd them, we wor'nt afraid,?"We'ad all been drinking ale.
"As they stood hallooing back to back,?"We, lightly as a feather,?"Went sideling round, and in a crack?"Had pinn'd their coats together.
"'Twas near upon't as light as noon;?"'A largess,' on the hill,?"They shouted to the full round moon,?"I think I hear 'em still!
"But when they found the trick, my stars!?"They well knew who to blame,?"Our giggles turn'd to ha, ha, ha's,?"And arter us they came.
"Grace by the tumbril made a squat,?"Then ran as Sam came by,?"They said she could not run for fat;?"I know she did not try.
"Sue round the neathouse[Footnote: Cow-house.] squalling ran, "Where Simon scarcely dare;?"He stopt,--for he's a fearful man--?"'By gom_ there's _suffen[Footnote: Something.] there!'
"And off set John, with all his might,?"To chase me down the yard,?"Till I was nearly gran'd[Footnote: Strangled.] outright; "He hugg'd so woundly hard.
"Still they kept up the race and laugh,?"And round the house we flew;?"But hark ye! the best fun by half?"Was Simon arter Sue.
"She car'd not, dark nor light, not she,?"So, near the dairy door?"She pass'd a clean white hog, you see,?"They'd kilt the day before.
"High on the spirket [Footnote: An iron hook.] there it hung,-- "'Now Susie--what can save ye?'?"Round the cold pig his arms he flung,?"And cried, 'Ah! here I have ye!'
"The farmers heard what Simon said,?"And what a noise! good lack!?"Some almost laugh'd themselves to dead,?"And others clapt his back.
"We all at once began to tell?"What fun we had abroad;?"But Simon stood our jeers right well;?--"He fell asleep and snor'd.
"Then in his button-hole upright,?"Did Farmer Crouder put,?"A slip of paper twisted tight,?"And held the candle to't.
"It smok'd, and smok'd, beneath his nose,?"The harmless blaze crept higher;?"Till with a vengeance up he rose,?"Grace, Judie, Sue! fire, fire!
"The clock struck one--some talk'd of parting,?"Some said it was a sin,?"And kilch'd their chairs;--but those for starting?"Now let the moonlight in.
"Owd_ women, loitering _for the nonce,[Footnote: For the purpose.] "Stood praising the fine weather;?"The menfolks took the hint at once?"To kiss them altogether.
"And out ran every soul beside,?"A shanny-pated[Footnote: Giddy, thoughtless.] crew;?"Owd folks could neither run nor hide,?"So some ketch'd_ one, some _tew.
"They skriggl'd[Footnote: To struggle quick.] and began to scold. "But laughing got the master;?"Some quack'ling[Footnote: Choaking.] cried, 'let go your hold;' "The farmers held the faster.
"All innocent, that I'll be sworn,?"There wor'nt a bit of sorrow,?"And women, if their gowns are torn,?"Can mend them on the morrow.
"Our shadows helter skelter danc'd?"About the moonlight ground;?"The wondering sheep, as on we pranc'd,?"Got up and gaz'd around,
"And well they might--till Farmer Chcerum,?"Now with a hearty glee,?"Bade all good morn as he came near 'em,?"And then to bed went he.
"Then off we stroll'd this way and that,?"With merry voices ringing;?"And Echo answered us right pat,?"As home we rambl'd singing.
"For, when we laugh'd, it laugh'd again,?"And to our own doors follow'd!?"'Yo, ho!' we cried; 'Yo, ho!' so plain?"The misty meadow halloo'd.
"That's all my tale, and all the fun,?"Come, turn your wheels about;?"My worsted, see!--that's nicely done,?"Just held my story out!!"
Poor Judie!--Thus Time knits or spins?The worsted from Life's ball!?Death stopt thy tales, and stopt thy pins,?--And so he'll serve us all.
THE BROKEN CRUTCH.
A Tale.
"I tell you, Peggy," said a voice behind?A hawthorn hedge, with wild briars thick entwin'd,?Where unseen trav'llers down a shady way?Journey'd beside the swaths of new-mown hay,?"I tell you, Peggy, 'tis a time to prove?Your fortitude, your virtue, and your love.?From honest poverty our lineage sprung,?Your mother was a servant quite as young;--?You weep; perhaps she wept at leaving home,?Courage, my girl, nor fear the days to come.?Go still to church, my Peggy, plainly drest,?And