Page:Fugitive Poetry 1600-1878.djvu/454
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JOHN DAVIDSON.
I question whether Jonas in the fish
Did ever dine on a more bitter dish.
Did ever dine on a more bitter dish.
'Twas thus—a lady who supported Bell,
Came unexpectedly to hear them spell:
The pupil fixed on by the pedagogue,
Her son, a little round-faced, ruddy rogue,
Who thus his letters on the table laid—
M, I, L, K—and paused—"Well, sir; what's that?"
"I cannot tell," the boy all trembling said—
"Not tell! you little blind and stupid brat?
Not tell!" roared Jonas, in a violent rage,
And quick prepared an angry war- to wage—
"Tell me this instant, or I'll flay thy hide—
Come, sir!
Dost thou this birchen weapon see?
What puts thy mother in her tea?"
With lifted eyes the quaking rogue replied—
"RUM, sir!!!"
Came unexpectedly to hear them spell:
The pupil fixed on by the pedagogue,
Her son, a little round-faced, ruddy rogue,
Who thus his letters on the table laid—
M, I, L, K—and paused—"Well, sir; what's that?"
"I cannot tell," the boy all trembling said—
"Not tell! you little blind and stupid brat?
Not tell!" roared Jonas, in a violent rage,
And quick prepared an angry war- to wage—
"Tell me this instant, or I'll flay thy hide—
Come, sir!
Dost thou this birchen weapon see?
What puts thy mother in her tea?"
With lifted eyes the quaking rogue replied—
"RUM, sir!!!"
John Davidson.
John Davidson and Tib his wife,
Sat toastin' their taes ae nicht,
When something startit on the floor,
And blinkit by their sicht.
Sat toastin' their taes ae nicht,
When something startit on the floor,
And blinkit by their sicht.
"Guidwife," quoth John, "did ye see that moose?
Whar sorra was the cat?"
"A moose?"—"Ay, a moose."—"Na, na, guidman,
It wasna a moose, 'twas a rat."
Whar sorra was the cat?"
"A moose?"—"Ay, a moose."—"Na, na, guidman,
It wasna a moose, 'twas a rat."
"Oh, oh, guidwife, to think ye've been
So lang aboot the hoose,
An' no to ken a moose frae a rat!—
Yon wasna a rat! 'twas a moose!"
So lang aboot the hoose,
An' no to ken a moose frae a rat!—
Yon wasna a rat! 'twas a moose!"
"I've seen nrnir mice than you, guidman—
An' what think ye o' that?
Sae baud yer tongue an' say nae mair—
I tell ye it was a rat."
An' what think ye o' that?
Sae baud yer tongue an' say nae mair—
I tell ye it was a rat."
"Me baud my tongue for you, guidwife!
I'll be maister o' this hoose—
I saw't as plain as e'en could see,
An' I tell ye it was a moose."
I'll be maister o' this hoose—
I saw't as plain as e'en could see,
An' I tell ye it was a moose."