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THE IRISH BOY AND THE PRIEST.
I paid but thirty shillings for it.
You'd say it was cheap, if you saw it."'
The bargain struck—cash paid—fish gone—
My Lord and dinner came anon;
He stared to see my Lady smile,
'Twas what he had not seen some while;
There was hashed beef, and leeks a boat full,
But turbot none—my Lord looked doubtful—
"My dear!—I think—Is no fish come?"
"There is, love—leave the room, John—mum!—
I sold the fish, you silly man,
I make a bargain when I can;
The fish which cost us shillings twenty,
I sold for thirty, to content ye—
For one pound ten to Lady Tatter—
My Lord, you stare! why, what's the matter?"
My Lord stared wide with both his eyes,
Down knife and fork dropt with surprise:
"For one pound ten to Lady Tatter!
If she was flat, ma'am, you were flatter,
Two pounds the turbot cost—'tis true—
One pound I paid, and one pound you."
"Two pounds! Preserve us! Why then say
It cost but one pound?"—"Nay, ma'am, nay,
I said not so—said nought about it;
So, madam, you were free to doubt it."
"Two pounds! Two pounds! Why who could doubt
That the fish cost what I laid out?
'Twould have been madness (you may rate)
In such a case to hesitate."
"'Tis never madness," he replies,
"To doubt. I doubt my very eyes.
Had you but doubted the prime cost,
Ten shillings would not have been lost.
Tho' you and all the world may rate,
You see 'tis best to hesitate."
You'd say it was cheap, if you saw it."'
The bargain struck—cash paid—fish gone—
My Lord and dinner came anon;
He stared to see my Lady smile,
'Twas what he had not seen some while;
There was hashed beef, and leeks a boat full,
But turbot none—my Lord looked doubtful—
"My dear!—I think—Is no fish come?"
"There is, love—leave the room, John—mum!—
I sold the fish, you silly man,
I make a bargain when I can;
The fish which cost us shillings twenty,
I sold for thirty, to content ye—
For one pound ten to Lady Tatter—
My Lord, you stare! why, what's the matter?"
My Lord stared wide with both his eyes,
Down knife and fork dropt with surprise:
"For one pound ten to Lady Tatter!
If she was flat, ma'am, you were flatter,
Two pounds the turbot cost—'tis true—
One pound I paid, and one pound you."
"Two pounds! Preserve us! Why then say
It cost but one pound?"—"Nay, ma'am, nay,
I said not so—said nought about it;
So, madam, you were free to doubt it."
"Two pounds! Two pounds! Why who could doubt
That the fish cost what I laid out?
'Twould have been madness (you may rate)
In such a case to hesitate."
"'Tis never madness," he replies,
"To doubt. I doubt my very eyes.
Had you but doubted the prime cost,
Ten shillings would not have been lost.
Tho' you and all the world may rate,
You see 'tis best to hesitate."
The Irish Boy and the Priest.
A pretty Irish boy, whose parents went
By different roads to word and sacrament—
To mother's church an inclination had,
But father unto mass would force the lad.
Yet still the boy to church on Sunday stole,
And evidenced a wish to save his soul.
By different roads to word and sacrament—
To mother's church an inclination had,
But father unto mass would force the lad.
Yet still the boy to church on Sunday stole,
And evidenced a wish to save his soul.