66 THE PARSON A^D PEDAGOGUE. 



The little man from top to toe 



Surveyed the pair, as if to scan 

 If with security or no 



He might admit them : " Well, you can 

 Sleep on some straw, if fhat will do ; 

 'Tis good enough, I think, for you, 

 Or any other fool, who makes 



A swill-tub of his belly ; come, 

 Will you accept my offer ? rakes 



And drunkards ever thus are dumb 

 When they should speak ; at other times 

 Their noise in every sentence chimes." 

 The parson on his belly looked, 



As if there from he sought advice ; 

 He for one night, at least, was booked, 



'Twas useless to be over nice ; 

 So Baker said " Perfectum est, 

 Sub sole nil we'll make our nest." 

 A truss of straw was giv'n to each, 



And down they lay them, side by side ; 

 The. parson knew well how to preach, 



But ne'er to self the text applied. 

 Baker was snoring in a minute, 

 His stomach had so much drink in it. 



The thin partition was of wood, 



That shut the wanderers from their host, 



So that you quite distinctly could 



Have heard the whisp'rings of a ghost 



From either room ; the parson lay 



Awake, and heard the husband say 



" Well, wife, I will to-morrow morn 

 Those black ones for our breakfast kill ; 



They will look well when cleanly shorn, 

 Beside, we then can eat our fill : 



The one's as round as any ball 



Soon as you wake give me a call." 



The parson trembled in his shoes, 



When he the murd'rous project heard, 



And woke his friend to tell the news, 

 But then dared scarcely speak a word, 



Lest any noise their morning's fate 



Might only serve to antedate. 



" Why Baker, Baker! man of men, 



How can you snore ? how can you sleep ? 

 When we are in a monster's den, 



In human horrors supped so deep, 

 That in the morning he will kill 

 The pair of us, to eat his fill." 

 " Proh dolor ! why what do you say ? 



I slept as fast as any top ; 

 Don't wake me up again, I pray, 



Unless you chance to have a drop 

 Of beer or any other drink 

 E'en then I'd rather sleep, I think." 



