Her gentle spirit 's passed away: I took, then left her sleeping there ;- Each silken tress has dearer grown. COUNTRY SLEIGHING.-E. C. STEDMAN. In January, when down the dairy the cream and clabber freeze, When snow-drifts cover the fences over, we farmers take our ease. At night we rig the team, and bring the cutter out; ere friends and cousins dash up by dozens, and sleighs at least a score; There John and Molly, behind, are jolly,-Nel rides with me, before. All down the village street we range us in a row: Now jingle, jingle, jingle, jingle, and over the crispy snow! The windows glisten, the old folks listen to hear the sleighbells pass; The fields grow whiter, the stars are brighter, the road as smooth as glass. Gur muffled faces burn, the clear north-wind blows cold, The girls all nestle, nestle, nestle, each in her lover's hold. Through bridge and gateway we're shooting straightway, their toll-man was too slow! He'll listen after our song and laughter as over the hill we go. The girls cry," Fie! for shame!" their cheeks and lips are red, And so with kisses, kisses, kisses, they take the toll instead, Still follow, follow! across the hollow the tavern fronts the road. Whoa, now! all steady! the host is ready, he knows the country mode! The irons are in the fire, the hissing flip is got; So pour and sip it, sip it, sip it, and sip it while 'tis hot. Push back the tables, and from the stables bring Tom, the fiddler, in ; All take your places, and make your graces, and let the dance begin. The girls are beating time to hear the music sound; Now foot it, foot it, foot it, foot it, and swing your partners round. Last couple toward the left! all forward! Cotillon 's through, let's wheel: First tune the fiddle, then down the middle in old Virginia Reel. Play Monkey Musk to close, then take the "long chassé," While in to supper, supper, supper, the landlord leads the way. The bells are ringing, the ostlers bringing the cutters up anew; The beasts are neighing, too long we're staying, the night is half way through. Wrap close the buffalo robes, we're all aboard once more; Now jingle, jingle, jingle, jingle, away from the tavern-door. So follow, follow, by hill and hollow, and swiftly homeward glide. What midnight splendor! how warm and tender the maiden by your side! The sleighs drop far apart, her words are soft and low; THE LAST WISH.-B. W. KIRKHAM. When friends are gone and the last flowers are spread, Ere the official puts the screws in place, THE CHARITY DINNER.-LITCHFIELD MOSELY. Time: half-past six o'clock. Place: The London Tavern, Occasion: Fifteenth Annual Festival of the Society for the Distribution of Blankets and Top-Boots among the Natives of the Cannibal Islands. On entering the room we find more than two hundred noblemen and gentlemen already assembled; and the number is increasing every minute. The preparations are now complete, and we are in readiness to receive the chairman. After a short pause, a little door at the end of the room opens, and the great man appears, attended by an admiring circle of stewards and toadies, carrying white wands like a parcel of charity-school boys bent on beating the bounds. He advances smilingly to his post at the principal table, amid deafening and long-continued cheers. The dinner now makes its appearance, and we yield up ourselves to the enjoyments of eating and drinking. These important duties finished, and grace having been beautifully sung by the vocalists, the real business of the evening commences. The usual loyal toasts having been given, the noble chairman rises, and, after passing his fingers through his hair, places his thumbs in the armholes of his waistcoat, gives a short preparatory cough, accompanied by a vacant stare round the room, and commences as follows: "MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN :-It is with feelings of mingled pleasure and regret that I appear before you this evening of pleasure, to find that this excellent and world-wideknown society is in so promising a condition; and of regret, that you have not chosen a worthier chairman; in fact, one who is more capable than myself of dealing with a subject of such vital importance as this. (Loud cheers.) But, although I may be unworthy of the honor, I am proud to state that I have been a subscriber to this society from its commencement; feeling sure that nothing can tend more to the advancement of civilization, social reform, fireside comfort, aud domestic economy among the Cannibals, than the diffusion of blankets and top-boots. (Tremendous cheering, which lasts for several minutes.) Here in this Engind of ours, which is an island surrounded by water, as I suppose you all know-or, as our great poet so truth. fully and beautifully expresses the same fact, England bound in by the triumphant sea'—what, down the long vista of years, have conduced more to our successes in arms, and arts, and song, than blankets? Indeed, I never gaze upon a blanket without my thoughts reverting fondly to the days of my early childhood. Where should we all have been now but for those warm and fleecy coverings? My Lords and Gentlemen! Our first and tender memories are all associated with blankets: blankets when in our nurses' arms, blankets in our cradles, blankets in our cribs, blankets to our French bedsteads in our school-days, and blankets to our marital four-posters now. Therefore, I say, it be comes our bounden duty as men-and, with feelings of pride, I add, as Englishmen-to initiate the untutored sav. age, the wild and somewhat uncultivated denizen of the prairie, into the comfort and warmth of blankets; and to supply him, as far as practicable, with those reasonable, seasonable, luxurious, and useful appendages. At such a moment as this, the lines of another poet strike familiarly upon the ear. Let me see, they are something like thisah-ah "Blankets have charms to soothe the savage breast, I forget the rest. (Loud cheers.) Do we grudge our money for such a purpose? I answer, fearlessly, No! Could we spend it better at home? I reply, most emphatically, No! True, it may be said that there are thousands of our own people who at this moment are wandering about the streets of this great metropolis without food to eat or rags to cover them. But what have we to do with them? Our thoughts, our feelings, and our sympathies are all wafted on the wings of charity to the dear and interesting Cannibals in the far-off islands of the great Pacific Ocean. (Hear, hear!) Besides, have not our own poor the work-houses to go to; the luxurious straw of the casual wards to repose upon, if they please; the mutton broth to bathe in; and the ever toothsome, although somewhat scanty allowance of "toke" provided for them! If people choose to be poor, is it our business? And let it ever be remembered that our own people are not savages and man-eaters, and, therefore, our philanthropy would be wasted upon them. (Overwhelming applause.) To return to our subject. Perhaps some person or persons here may wonder why we should not send out side-springs and bluchers, as well as top-boots. To those I will say, that top-boots alone answer the object desired--namely, not only to keep the feet dry, but the legs warm, and thus to combine the double uses of shoes and stockings. Is it not an instance of the remarkable foresight of this society, that it purposely abstains from sending out any other than top-boots? To show the gratitude of the Cannibals, for the benefits conferred upon them, I will just mention that, within the last few weeks, his illustrious majesty, Hokee Pokey Wankey Fum the First-surnamed by his loving subjects 'The Magnificent,' from the fact of his wearing, on Sundays, a shirt-collar and an eye-glass as full court costume-has forwarded the president of the society a very handsome present, consisting of two live alligators, a boa constrictor, and three pots of preserved Indian, to be eaten with toast; 'and I am told by competent judges, that it is quite equal to Russian caviare. 66 "My Lords and Gentlemen! I will not trespass on your patience by making any further remarks; knowing how incompetent I am-no, no! I don't mean that-knowing how incompetent you all are-no! I don't mean that either -but you all know what I mean. Like the ancient Roman lawgiver, I am in a peculiar position; for the fact is I cannot sit down-I mean to say, that I cannot sit down without saying that, if there ever was an institution, it is this institution; and, therefore, I beg to propose, 'Prosperity to the society for the Distribution of Blankets and Top-Boots among the Natives of the Cannibal Islands.'” The toast having been cordially responded to, his lordship calls upon Mr. Duffer, the secretary, to read the report. Whereupon that gentleman, who is of a bland and oily temperament, and whose eyes are concealed by a pair of green spectacles, produces the necessary document, and reads in the orthodox manner "Thirtieth Half-yearly Report of the Society for the Distribution of Blankets and Top-Boots to the Natives of the Cannibal Islands. |