A VILE PEST. 



W. H. NELSON. 



The spring has come; the leaves are out 



On maples, elms and willows, 

 And hills and vales in verdure dressed 



Roll wide in emerald billows. 

 I listen for the robin's song, 



But — oh, my soul it harrows — 

 I catch the noisy clatter of 



The cussed English sparrows. 



Wee Jenny Wren, whose cozy nest 



Once perched beside my gable, 

 Is gone, and in her stead are these 



Scavengers of the stable. 

 No more the bluebird cleaves the air, 



A sapphire-pointed arrow; 

 But in his stead I grieve to see 



The cussed English sparrow. 



The catbird, which once poured his song 



In raptures at the dawning, 

 Is silent, but I hear instead 



This devil scold all morning. 

 Her mark is on the balcony, 



In garden seat and barrow, 

 The foulest termagant of earth — 



The cussed English sparrow. 



I hate the monster in the egg, 



The father and the mother, 

 Grandsire and grandam, d n 'em all! 



Say I, and any other 

 Such importation. Curse his crop, 



His gizzard, bones and marrow. 

 May every egg rot ere 'tis laid! 



Dod dang the English sparrow. 



A mother sent her small boy into the 

 country, and after a week of anxiety re- 

 ceived this letter: I got here all right but 

 forgot to write before. A feller and I 

 went out in a boat and the boat tipped 

 over and a man got me out. I was so full 

 of water I didn't know anything for a good 

 time. The other boy has to be burried 

 after they find him. His mother came 

 and cried all the time. A horse kicked 

 me over and I have got to have some 

 money for fixin' my head. We are going 

 to set an old barn on fire to-night and I 

 should smile if we don't have some bully 

 fun. I shall bring home a tame woodchuck 

 if I can get 'm in my trunk. 



"Where are you going, my pretty maid?" 

 Old Neptune to the mermaid said. 

 She combed the seaweed from her hair 

 And said, "I'm off to Sir Eel's lair 

 And when I rob him of his shirt 

 I'll make myself a new eel skirt." 



— Chicago News. 



Blinkers — I understand there was a fire 

 at your place yesterday? 



Binin — Yes; right in my quarters. 



Blinkers — Much damage? 



Binin — No; only to me. The boss 

 put me out himself. — Philadelphia North 

 American. 



<H 8 



