John Burns of Gettysburg. While Burns, unmindful of jeer and scoff, With his long brown rifle, and bell-crown hat, 75 'Twas but a moment, for that respect Which clothes all courage their voices checked; And his corded throat, and the lurking frown Until, as they gazed, there crept an awe Through the ranks in whispers, and some men saw, And some of the soldiers since declare That the gleam of his old white hat afar, So raged the battle. You know the res:: Broke at the final charge, and ran. At which John Burns—a practical man- And then went back to his bees and cows. That is the story of old John Burns; This is the moral the reader learns : In fighting the battle, the question's whether You'll show a hat that's white, or a feather! THE TALE OF A PONY. NAME of my heroine, simply "Rose;" Surname, tolerable only in prose; Habitat, Paris, that is where She resided for change of air; Rich, good-looking, and débonnaire, In Paris, whatever they do besides, Sweeping the filth of a dirty street; The team she drives, whether phaeton, "Bring forth the horse!"-The commissaire Bowed, and brought Miss Rose a pair Leading an equipage rich and rare : 66 Why doth that lovely lady stare ?” Why? The tail of the off gray mare As Tam O'Shanter's "Meg,”—and there That stare and frown the Frenchman knew, But did, as well-bred Frenchmen do: Raised his shoulders above his crown, Joined his thumbs, with the fingers down, The Tale of a Pony. 79 And said, "Ah, Heaven!"--then, "Mademoiselle, He went; returned; by what good chance All that is false in this world below Betrays itself in a love of show Indignant Nature hides her lash ; In the purple-black of a dyed mustache; And you always wink with your weakest For ever had her tail in the air, With flourishes beyond compare, Though every whisk Incurred the risk Of leaving that sensitive region bare: eye: |