pulled it out of her hands, and ran off with the gridiron hangin' round his neck like a necklace; and he went mad a'most with it; for though a kettle to a dog's tail is nath'rel,a gridiron round his neck is very surprisin' to him; and away he tatthered over the country, till there wasn't a taste o' the gridiron left together." JOHN GILPIN. WILLIAM Cowper. JOIN GILPIN was a citizen John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear, "To-morrow is our wedding-day, "My sister and my sister's child, He soon replied, "I do admire Of womankind but one; "I am a linendraper bold, As all the world doth know, And my good friend the calender Quoth Mistress Gilpin, "That's well said; John Gilpin kissed his loving wife; That, though on pleasure she was bent, The morning came, the chaise was brought, To drive up to the door, lest all So three doors off the chaise was stayed, Six precious souls, and all agog To dash through thick and thin. Smack went the whip, round went the wheels, Were never folk so glad; The stones did rattle underneath, As if Cheapside were mad. For saddle-tree scarce reached had he, His journey to begin, When, turning round his head, he saw So down he came; for loss of time, 'Twas long before the customers Were suited to their mind; When Betty screaming came down stairs, "The wine is left behind!" "Good lack!" quoth he, "yet bring it me, My leathern belt likewise, In which I bear my trusty sword Now Mistress Gilpin, careful soul! Each bottle had a curling ear, Then over all, that he might be His long red cloak, well brushed and neat, Now see him mounted once again Upon his nimble steed, Full slowly pacing o'er the stones But finding soon a smoother road So, "fair and softly," John he cried, That trot became a gallop soon, So stooping down, as needs he must He grasped the mane with both his hands, His horse, who never in that sort Away went Gilpin, neck or nought, He little dreamt, when he set out, The wind did blow, the cloak did fly, Then might all people well discern The dogs did bark, the children screamed, Up flew the windows all; And every soul cried out, "Well done!" As loud as he could bawl. Away went Gilpin-who but he; And still as fast as he drew near, 'Twas wonderful to view How in a trice the turnpike men Their gates wide open threw. And now as he went bowing down, His reeking head full low, Down ran the wine into the road, Which made his horse's flanks to smoke But still he seemed to carry weight, At Edmonton his loving wife From balcony espied Her tender husband, wondering much To see how he did ride. "Stop, stop, John Gilpin! here's the house!" They all at once did cry; "The dinner waits, and we are tired:" Said Gilpin, "So am I." But yet his horse was not a whit Inclined to tarry there; For why? his owner had a house Full ten miles off, at Ware. |