Part 58 (1/2)

And straightway in his palace-hall, where commonly is set Some coat-of-arms, some portraiture ancestral, lo, we met His mean estate's reminder in his fisher-father's net!

Which step conciliates all and some, stops cavil in a trice: ”The humble holy heart that holds of new-born pride no spice!

He's just the saint to choose for Pope!” Each adds, ”'Tis my advice.”

So Pope he was: and when we flocked--its sacred slipper on-- To kiss his foot, we lifted eyes, alack, the thing was gone-- That guarantee of lowlihead,--eclipsed that star which shone!

Each eyed his fellow, one and all kept silence. I cried ”Pis.h.!.+

I'll make me spokesman for the rest, express the common wish.

Why, Father, is the net removed?” ”Son, it hath caught the fish.”

_Robert Browning._

AN ACTOR

A shabby fellow chanced one day to meet The British Roscius in the street, Garrick, of whom our nation justly brags; The fellow hugged him with a kind embrace;-- ”Good sir, I do not recollect your face,”

Quoth Garrick. ”No?” replied the man of rags; ”The boards of Drury you and I have trod Full many a time together, I am sure.”

”When?” with an oath, cried Garrick, ”for, by G--d, I never saw that face of yours before!

What characters, I pray, Did you and I together play?”

”Lord!” quoth the fellow, ”think not that I mock-- When you played Hamlet, sir, I played the c.o.c.k!”

_John Wolcot._

THE LOST SPECTACLES

A country curate, visiting his flock, At old Rebecca's cottage gave a knock.

”Good morrow, dame, I mean not any libel, But in your dwelling have you got a Bible?”

”A Bible, sir?” exclaimed she in a rage, ”D'ye think I've turned a Pagan in my age?

Here, Judith, and run upstairs, my dear, 'Tis in the drawer, be quick and bring it here.”

The girl return'd with Bible in a minute, Not dreaming for a moment what was in it; When lo! on opening it at parlor door, Down fell her spectacles upon the floor.

Amaz'd she stared, was for a moment dumb, But quick exclaim'd, ”Dear sir, I'm glad you're come.

'Tis six years since these gla.s.ses first were lost, And I have miss'd 'em to my poor eyes' cost!”

Then as the gla.s.ses to her nose she raised, She closed the Bible--saying, ”G.o.d be praised!”

_Unknown._

THAT TEXAN CATTLE MAN

We rode the tawny Texan hills, A bearded cattle man and I; Below us laughed the blossomed rills, Above the dappled clouds blew by.

We talked. The topic? Guess. Why, sir, Three-fourths of man's whole time he keeps To talk, to think, to _be_ of |HER|; The other fourth he sleeps.