MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE. 



71 



I thus addressed my guide, " Friend, I remember having seen some- 

 thing similar before." And much to his disgust I told him of my 

 heirloom. 



The egg vendors also soon 

 found out what eggs were in 

 great demand, and armed 

 with an abnormal pullet's 

 ^g'^, one fellow would cry 

 out : 



" 'Tis Owl's, 'tis Owl's, I 

 sware 'tis Owl's,'* or holding 

 a Lark's ^g'^ in his hand 

 would say : 



" 'Tis Cuckoo's." 



" Cuckoo's, indeed ! Pray 

 how do you know 'tis 

 Cuckoo's ? " 



** How do I know 'tis 

 Cuckoo's ? Why, because 

 I see the old burd." 



"See the old bird! Oh, 

 come now, that's not likely." 



" I know I did see the old 

 burd then, and he were a- 

 holler-ing ! " 



" Hollering, and what was he a-hollering? " 



" What were he a-hollering ! Why Cuckoo, Cuckoo, to be 

 sure ! " — after a pause: " What else should he be a-hollering? " 



But it would'nt do ; and the vendor getting exasperated at the 

 chaff going on around, vowed vengeance on my head, if he could 

 catch me. But his thick boots, like anvils on his feet, gave him 

 very little chance of coming near me in a race. 



At last, finding he could not impose on us, he would favour me 

 with a sleepy smile as I greeted him with : " Well, Owls old fellow, 

 and pray what have you got for us to-day ? " 



OWLS." 



