Now, all the while

Her body did n't take of course to shrinking.
Says I, she's letting out her reefs, I'm thinking—
And so she swelled, and swelled,

And yet the tackle held,

Till both my legs began to bend like winkin.

My eyes! but she took in enough to founder!
And there's my timbers straining every bit,
Ready to split,

And her tarnation hull a-growing rounder!

Well, there-off Hartford Ness,

We lay both lashed and water-logged together,
And can't contrive a signal of distress;

Thinks I, we must ride out this here foul weather,
Though sick of riding out and nothing less;

When, looking round, I sees a man a-starn:
Hollo! says I, come underneath her quarter!
And hands him out my knife to cut the yarn.
So I gets off, and lands upon the road,
And leaves the she-mare to her own consarn,
A-standing by the water.

If I get on another, I'll be blowed!

And that's the way, you see, my legs got bowed!

THE BACHELOR'S DREAM.

My pipe is lit, my grog is mixed,
My curtains drawn and all is snug;
Old Puss is in her elbow-chair,
And Tray is sitting on the rug.
Last night I had a curious dream,
Miss Susan Bates was Mistress Mogg--
What d' ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

She looked so fair, she sang so well,
I could but woo and she was won;
Myself in blue, the bride in white,
The ring was placed, the deed was done!
Away we went in chaise-and-four,
As fast as grinning boys could flog -
What d' ye think of that, my cat?
What d' ye think of that, my dog?

What loving tête-à-têtes to come!
But tête-à-têtes must still defer!
When Susan came to live with me,
Her mother came to live with her!
With sister Belle she could n't part,
But all my ties had leave to jog
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

The mother brought a pretty Poll
A monkey too, what work he made!
The sister introduced a beau
My Susan brought a favorite maid.
She had a tabby of her own,-
A snappish mongrel christened Gog,
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

The monkey bit the parrot screamed,
All day the sister strummed and sung;
The petted maid was such a scold!
My Susan learned to use her tongue;
Her mother had such wretched health,
She sate and croaked like any frog-
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

No longer Deary, Duck, and Love,
I soon came down to simple "M! "
The very servants crossed my wish,
My Susan let me down to them.
The poker hardly seemed my own,
I might as well have been a log-
What d' ye think of that, my cat?
What d' ye think of that, my dog?

My clothes they were the queerest shape!
Such coats and hats she never met!
My ways they were the oddest ways!
My friends were such a vulgar set!
Poor Tompkinson was snubbed and huffed,
She could not bear that Mister Blogg-
What d' ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

At times we had a spar, and then
Mamma must mingle in the song—
The sister took a sister's part-—
The maid declared her master wrong -
The parrot learned to call me "Fool!"
My life was like a London fog –
What d' ye think of that, my cat?
What d' ye think of that, my dog?
My Susan's taste was superfine,
As proved by bills that had no end;
I never had a decent coat -

I never had a coin to spend !
She forced me to resign my club,
Lay down my pipe, retrench my grog
What d'ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?

Each Sunday night we gave a rout
To fops and flirts, a pretty list;
And when I tried to steal away,
I found my study full of whist!
Then, first to come, and last to go,
There always was a Captain Hogg-
What d' ye think of that, my cat?
What d'ye think of that, my dog?
Now was not that an awful dream
For one who single is and snug
With Pussy in the elbow-chair,
And Tray reposing on the rug?-
If I must totter down the hill,
"T is safest done without a clog -
What d' ye think of that, my cat?
What d' ye think of that, my dog?

THE WEE MAN.

A ROMANCE.

Ir was a merry company,
And they were just afloat,
When, lo! a man, of dwarfish span,
Came up and hailed the boat.

"Good-morrow to ye, gentle folks,
And will let me
you

in?

A slender space will serve my case,
For I am small and thin.”

They saw he was a dwarfish man,

And very small and thin;

Not seven such would matter much,
And so they took him in.

They laughed to see his little hat,
With such a narrow brim;

They laughed to note his dapper coat,
With skirts so scant and trim.

But barely had they gone a mile,
When, gravely, one and all
At once began to think the man
Was not so very small.

His coat had got a broader skirt,

His hat a broader brim,

His leg grew stout, and soon plumped out
A very proper limb.

Still on they went, and as they went

More rough the billows grew,-
And rose and fell, a greater swell,
And he was swelling too!

And, lo! where room had been for seven,
For six there scarce was space!

For five!-for four!-for three!-not more
Than two could find a place!

There was not even room for one!
They crowded by degrees
Ay-closer yet, till elbows met,
And knees were jogging knees.

"Good sir, you must not sit astern,
The wave will else come in!"
Without a word he gravely stirred,
Another seat to win.

"Good sir, the boat has lost her trim,
You must not sit a-lee!"

With smiling face and courteous grace,
The middle seat took he.