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Whence straight he came, with hat and wig,

A wig that flowed behind

d;

A hat not much the worse for wear,

Each comely in its kind.

He held them up, and in his turn
Thus show'd his ready wit;
"My head is twice as big as yours,
They therefore needs must fit.

"But let me scrape the dust away,
That hangs upon your face;
And stop and eat, for well you may
Be in a hungry case."

Said John, "It is my wedding-day,
And all the world would stare,
If wife should dine at Edmonton,
And I should dine at Ware."

So, turning to his horse, he said, "I am in haste to dine;

"T was for your pleasure you came here, You shall go back for mine."

Ah, luckless speech, and bootless boast!
For which he paid full dear;
For, while he spake, a braying ass
Did sing most loud and clear;

Whereat his horse did snort, as he
Had heard a lion roar,

And gallop'd off with all his might,
As he had done before.

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And thus unto the youth she said,
That drove them to the Bell,

"This shall be yours, when you bring back My husband safe and well."

The youth did ride, and soon did meet
John coming back amain;
Whom in a trice he tried to stop,

By catching at his rein;

But not performing what he meant,
And gladly would have done,
The frighted steed he frighted more,
And made him faster run.

Away went Gilpin, and away

Went postboy at his heels,

The postboy's horse right glad to miss
The rumbling of the wheels.

Six gentlemen upon the road

Thus seeing Gilpin fly,

With postboy scampering in the rear,

They rais'd a hue and cry:

"Stop thief!-stop thief! — a highwayman!"

Not one of them was mute;

And all and each that passed that way,

Did join in the pursuit

And now the turnpike gates again

Flew open in short space :
The toll-men thinking, as before,
That Gilpin rode a race.

And so he did, and won it too
For he got first to town;

Nor stopp'd till where he had got up
He did again get down.

Now let us sing, long live the king,

And Gilpin, long live he;

And, when he next doth ride abroad,

May I be there to see.

-William Couper.

THE SPIDER AND THE FLY.

"WILL you walk into my parlor ?"
Said a spider to a fly ;
""Tis the prettiest little parlor

That ever you did spy.

The way into my parlor

Is up a winding stair,
And I have many pretty things
To show when you are there.”
"Oh no, no!" said the little fly,
"To ask me is in vain ;

For who goes up your winding stair,
Can ne'er come down again."

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Will you rest upon my little bed?"

Said the spider to the fly.

"There are pretty curtains drawn around,

The sheets are fine and thin; And if you like to rest awhile,

I'll snugly tuck you in."

"Oh no, no!" said the little fly,

"For I've often heard it said, They never, never wake again, Who sleep upon your bed."

Said the cunning spider to the fly,
"Dear friend, what shall I do,
To prove the warm affection,
I've always felt for you?
I have, within my pantry,

Good store of all that's nice ;
I'm sure you're very welcome

Will you please to take a slice?"? "Oh no, no!" said the little fly, "Kind sir, that cannot be ; I've heard what's in your pantry, And I do not wish to see."

"Sweet creature," said the spider,
"You're witty and you 're wise ;
How handsome are your gauzy wings,
How brilliant are your eyes.
I have a little looking-glass

Upon my parlor shelf;

If you'll step in one moment, dear.

You shall behold yourself."

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