96 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 j 



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 dingle. 



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 



