250 



COMIC PIECES. 



Am I eternally to cram 

 At your expense r 'tis childish, quite ; 

 I claim this payment as my RIGHT 

 Here,* how much is the money, Sam ?" 



To this most rational proposal 



The others gave such fierce negation, 

 One might have fancied they were foes all, 



So hot became the altercation ; 

 Each in his purse the money rattling, 

 Insisting, arguing, and battling, 

 One of them cried at last " A truce ! 



This point we will no longer moot ; 

 Wrangling for trifles is no use, 



And thus we'll finish the dispute. 

 That we may settle what we three owe, 



We'll blindfold Sam, and whichsoe'er 



He catches of us firs t shall bear 

 The whole expenses of the trio ; 

 With half a crown (if that's enough) 

 To Sam, for playing Blindman's buff." 



Sam liked it hugely, thought the ransom 

 For a good game of fun was handsome ; 



Gave his own handkerchief, beside, 



To have his eyes securely tied ; 

 And soon began to gropef and search, 



When the three knaves, I need not say, 

 Adroitly left him in the lurch, 



Slipp'd down the stairs, and stole away. 



Poor Sam continued hard at work ; 



Now o'er a chair he gets a fall ; 

 Now flound'ring forward with a jerk, 



He bobs his nose against the wall ; 

 And now encouraged by a subtle 



Fancy, that they're near the door, 



He jumps behind it to explore, 

 And breaks his shins against the scuttle ; 



* Pompous, authoritative manner. 



f Suit the action to the word throughout Sam's supposed perform- 

 ance, but carefully and cautiously. 



