"And now," said he, "tell me, where mean you to move? I hope to some spot where your trade will improve.” "Why, sir," replied one with a grin on his phiz, "Tom Forge moves to my shop, and I move to his!" Anonymous. CCCXX. NONGTONGPAW. JOHN Bull for pastime took a prance, To talk of sciences and arts, And knowledge gained in foreign parts. "T was "Monsieur, je vous n'entends pas." John, to the Palais-Royal came, John saw Versailles from Marlé's height, "His? What the land and houses too? The fellow's richer than a Jew: On everything he lays his claw ! I should like to dine with Nongtongpaw." Next tripping came a courtly fair, "What lovely wench is that there here? 66 Sir Joshua might delight to draw: I should like to sup with Nongtongpaw. But hold! whose funeral's that?" cries John. "Je vous n'entends pas.". "What, is he gone? Wealth, fame, and beauty could not save Poor Nongtongpaw then from the grave! I'd with him breakfast, dine and sup; But since he chooses to withdraw, Good-night t'ye, Mounseer Nongtongpaw." CCCXXI. THE SWELL'S SOLILOQUY ON THE WAR. I DON'T appwove this hawid waw ; Those dweadful bannahs hawt my eyes; Of cawce, the twoilet has its chawms; And then the ladies-pwecious deahs! They wathah like the howid wow! To hear the chawming cweatures talk, C. Dibdin I called at Mrs. Gween's last night, Of cawce I wose and saught the daw, Why don't the pawties compwamise? Vanity Fair CCCXXII. THE ALARMED SKIPPER. MANY ANY a long, long year ago, Nantucket skippers had a plan Of finding out, though "lying low," How near New York their schooners ran. They greased the lead before it fell, And then, by sounding through the night, A skipper gray, whose eyes were dim, Could tell by tasting, just the spot, And so below, he'd "dowse the glim," After, of course, his "something hot." Snug in his berth, at eight o'clock, This ancient skipper might be found; No matter how his craft would rock, - He slept, for skippers' naps are sound! The watch on deck would now and then Run down and wake him, with the lead; He'd up and taste, and tell the men One night, 't was Jotham Marden's watch, "We're all a set of stupid fools, To think the skipper knows by tasting, What ground he's on; Nantucket schools Don't teach such stuff, with all their basting!" And so he took the well-greased lead, And rubbed it o'er a box of earth That stood on deck - (a parsnip bed), And then he sought the skipper's berth. “Where are we now, sir, please to taste.” The skipper yawned, put out his tongue, Then oped his eyes in wondrous haste, And then upon the floor he sprung! The skipper stormed, and tore his hair, Thrust on his boots, and roared to Marden, "Nantucket 's sunk, and here we are Right over old Marm Hackett's garden!" |