So like an arrow swift he flew, Away went Gilpin, out of breath, The calender amazed to see His neighbour in such trim, "What news! what news! your tidings tell, Tell me you must and shallSay why bare-headed you are come Or why you come at all?" Now Gilpin had a pleasant wit "I came because your horse would come; The calender, right glad to find But to the house went in; Whence straight he came with hat and wig, A wig that flowed behind, A hat not much the worse for wear, Each comely in its kind. He held them up, and in his turn "But let me scrape the dirt away Said John, "It is my wedding day; So turning to his horse he said, "I am in haste to dine: "Twas for your pleasure you came here, You shall go back for mine." Ah, luckless speech, and bootless boast! Whereat his horse did snort, as he Away went Gilpin, and away Now Mistress Gilpin, when she saw Her husband posting down Into the country far away, She pulled out half-a-crown: And thus unto the youth she said "This shall be yours when you bring back My husband safe and well." The youth did ride, and soon did meet But not performing what he meant, Away went Gilpin, and away The post-boy's horse right glad to miss Six gentlemen upon the road With post-boy scamp'ring in the rear, "Stop thief! stop thief!--a highwayman!" Not one of them was mute; And now the turnpike gates again Flew open in short space; The toll-men thinking as before, That Gilpin rode a race. And so he did, and won it too, For he got first to town, Nor stopped till where he first got up Now let us sing, "Long live the king!" And when he next doth ride abroad, May I be there to see! MRS. BROWN'S VOTE SOLICITED. ARTHUR SKETCHLEY. I'm sure the 'eat as I was in, and that grimed as any one might have took me for a sweep's good lady, thro' it bein' of a Friday, when I will have 'em, as is all very well with their rammeners, as they calls them, tho' nothing in my opinion like the boys, as could go into the corners, where it will lodge, as is dangerous and apt to ketch and bring the ingins on to you in no time, as is a heavy sum to pay, especial when prepared to swear as you've been swep' within six weeks, and I was a-saying to Mrs. Challin, as is a 'ard-working woman, tho' not to be trusted with sperrits about, as I'd go and clean myself up a bit; "for," I says, "I never can fancy my meals, and take tea as I am, couldn't was it ever so. I don't think as I'd hardly got my gown off afore I hears Mrs. Challin a-hollarin', as is that deaf as posts is nothing to it. So thinking as she was a-wanting to know how much milk as she should take, thro' hearing it a-comin' down the street, I puts my head over the bannisters for to say make it a pen'orth, when figure as I was there was two gentlemen a-standin' a-talking to Mrs. Challin, as kep answerin' foolish thro' not a-hearin'. So I says to myself, "P'raps it's the lawyers," as never will let us rest thro' Brown's aunt, as was thought to have died intestines, tho' the will was quite safe in her corner drawers, tho' wrapped in a old handkercher. I says to myself, "I shan't hurry for you," so give myself a good wash, and got my 'air on with a clean cap and apron, and down I goes, fully expecting them to have gone, as the sayin' is, when there they was asetting like lambs. So I says, "Your pleasure, gentlemen," for I see as they wasn't lawyers' clerks by their ways, as was elegant; for up they gets and a-bowing, bending I may say. "Have we the pleasure to address Mrs. Brown?" says they. I says, "I am that party, at your service," for I knows how to address them as is on a spear above, thro' having lived in families as was so situated. So they says as the weather was fine, as I said it were, and they asks after Mr. Brown's health, "As," I says, "is not what I could wish, thro' a nasty cough, as he says is nothing, but just sich a one as my own grandfather carried to his grave with him, and always said it would be his end, as it turned out at eightysix, and had troubled him nearly forty years; so I always says it did ought to be took in time, as horehound tea, with alicumpane powder, a bit of horseradish, and sweetened with treacle, softens the chest, and will often bring it away." "And how is your 'ealth, Mrs. Brown, mum ?" says the other, as was short, with red whiskers, thro' the other party being a fine man, with a expanding chest as would show a frill well. "Why," I says, "I can't say much, tho' I keeps up, but often with a aching back, for stooping does try me a good deal, and I often feels if it wasn't for Brown, as would miss me, I ain't much to live for." And so I tells the gentlemen, as smiled agreeable, and says "Mrs. Brown, mum, you're in your prime." I says, "Go along; I'm the grandmother of six." Says they, "Never." I says, "I am." Then says they, "You must a-married in your tins," as I didn't know what they meant. At last the little chap with the red whiskers says, "Madam," he 66 says, we've called for to solicit Mr. Brown's vote for this gentleman," and he hands me a card, as I couldn't read without my glasses. |