9 6 SURVEY UNDER OFFICE OF WORKS CHAP, in 



Hark the kettle s cheerful songs, 



Shrilly crying 



To the dull recumbent tongs, 

 On the clean-swept hearthstone lying, 



Cheerily singing ! 

 * Blithe I be because I m trying, 



By my ringing, 



To announce a merry meeting ; 



I am humming 

 To arouse a jolly greeting. 

 Hear me on the hob a-bumming ; 



Let me threep o t. 

 Even now I hear him coming 



Fill the tea-pot ! 



Fill the tea-pot ! By the fire 



While you re basking 

 You shall have your heart s desire. 

 I will tell you without asking 



One is hasting 

 Even while the tea is masking, 



No time wasting. 



Mother, mother ! yes, I m hasting, 



Hasting home, too ; 

 Posting, steaming, no time wasting, 

 Till, O happy day ! I come to 



Your own ingle, 

 For a while no more to roam to 



Dell and dingfe. 



Yes, I m coming ! Rouse the fire ; 



Make it roar there ; 

 Rouse it high, and rouse it higher ; 

 Soon you ll hear me to the door there 



Madly bounding, 

 Then rushing in athwart the floor there 



With laugh astounding. 



It s a fact, though I did not know it till too late for 

 the post. If the weather be good I shall remain here, 

 as in duty bound, till the I5th or i6th. If the snow 

 continue I shall leave to-morrow and be home, I sup 

 pose, on Tuesday to dinner, for the steamer leaves 



