Part 138 (1/2)

And she'd give it a look at eventide, And say, ”Now beat on the other side.”

And the new days came as the old days went, And the landlord came for his regular rent.

And the neighbors laughed at the tireless broom, And his face was shadowed with clouds of gloom.

Till at last, one cheerless winter day, He kicked at the carpet and slid away.

Over the fence and down the street, Speeding away with footsteps fleet.

And never again the morning sun Smiled on him beating his carpet-drum.

And South Hill often said with a yawn, ”Where's the carpet-martyr gone?”

Years twice twenty had come and pa.s.sed And the carpet swayed in the autumn blast.

For never yet, since that bright spring-time, Had it ever been taken down from the line.

Over the fence a gray-haired man Cautiously clim, clome, clem, clum, clamb.

He found him a stick in the old woodpile, And he gathered it up with a sad, grim smile,

A flush pa.s.sed over his face forlorn As he gazed at the carpet, tattered and torn.

And he hit it a most resounding thwack, Till the startled air gave his echoes back.

And out of the window a white face leaned, And a palsied hand the pale face screened.

She knew his face; she gasped, and sighed, ”A little more on the other side.”

Right down on the ground his stick he throwed, And he s.h.i.+vered and said, ”Well, I am blowed!”

And he turned away, with a heart full sore, And he never was seen not more, not more.

_Robert J. Burdette._

THE HUNTING OF THE SNARK

”Come, listen, my men, while I tell you again The five unmistakable marks By which you may know, wheresoever you go, The warranted genuine Snarks.

”Let us take them in order. The first is the taste, Which is meagre and hollow, but crisp: Like a coat that is rather too tight in the waist, With a flavor of Will-o'-the-wisp.

”Its habit of getting up late you'll agree That it carries too far when I say That it frequently breakfasts at five-o'clock tea, And dines on the following day.

”The fourth is its fondness for bathing-machines, Which it constantly carries about, And believes that they add to the beauty of scenes-- A sentiment open to doubt.

”The fifth is ambition. It next will be right To describe each particular batch; Distinguis.h.i.+ng those that have feathers, and bite, From those that have whiskers, and scratch.

”For, although common Snarks do no manner of harm, Yet I feel it my duty to say Some are Boojums--” The Bellman broke off in alarm, For the Baker had fainted away.