upon the floor)"let himself down!" concluded Amos, with a prompt and happy allusion to the fallen Binks. The peals of laughter which followed were enough to-shake out the curls of the "Old Queen's Head." 99 The good-humoured Binks, however, rose with agility, and joined in the merriment. "I'm only sorry,' said he, "that I have lowered myself in your eyes. Laugh on for when a man's jaws are distended by laughter there's no fear of his biting. And you will find me as difficult to put out '—as you would Greek fire." "Bravo, Binks!" cried Amos. "Truly you are like a piece of phosphorus, a 'rub' only makes you burn brighter. You ought really to be fond of a 'rubber,' for you always win. But come, Binks, regale our ears with a little melody." Upon this challenge Binks struck up what he termed A MORAL DITTY. "A sarving-man upon a nag came trotting down the road, The sarving-man was fat and sleek, and eke was quite a load— Lang ditton, ditton, ditton, ri tudinay! "The trotting-nag was lank and lean, his tail was like a stump; The sarving-man he whipp'd and spurr'd, and made him kick and jump Lang ditton, ditton, ditton, ri tudinay! "The trotting nag came to a pond, and there he stood stock still; Quoth the sarving-man unto the nag, 'Hey, Dobbin! what's your will?' Lang ditton, ditton, ditton, ri tudinay! "The trotting-nag ne'er answer'd he, but waggled quick his tail, And stuck his head atween his legs, which made the man to rail Lang ditton, ditton, ditton, ri tudinay! "The sarving-man he tugg'd and pull'd, and pull'd and tugg'd the rein: But tugging, pulling, coaxing, all i'faith were tried in vainLang ditton, ditton, ditton, ri tudinay ! "At length the nag uplifted both his hinder-legs, and duck'd, And the sarving-man right over he into the pond was chuck'd— Lang ditton, ditton, ditton, ri tudinay! "A restive nag into a pond ne'er lead, good sirs, to drink, For, if ye cannot swim, egad! ye're very like to sink. Lang ditton, ditton, ditton, ri tudinay!" Joke and repartee now flew from side to side with the rapidity of snow-balls, and there was many a good "hit" made in the general mêlée. The great clock, however, struck eleven, and the meeting broke up in the highest glee; and I was alto gether so gratified with my evening's entertainment, that I promised to be Owen's "friend" when he next enjoyed the privilege of giving a man THE BEST INTRODUCTION IN THE WORLD. THE OLD LEDGER.-No. VIII. THE following "trifles light as air," in prose and rhyme, include the whole of Mr. Thorley's lucubrations; although not amounting to one-sixth of the contents of the Old Ledger,-but the rest (consisting chiefly of familiar and facetious epistles, addressed to his intimate friends, upon sundry subjects of mere local or personal interest) have not been deemed of sufficient interest for the perusal of the general reader, and are therefore suppressed. VOL. II. THE TWO FRIENDS. "O Grease! enlighten'd Grease!" exclaim'd -tinguisher, as they walk'd along, you and me, my constant friend, Or with the Russian bear-O dear!- "It would, indeed," his friend replied; For tallow is what valour was To the advent'rous knight,— H For tallow gives to our nights "Yes, to be sure; why, really I Am quite a fool, I own.” "Or, p'r'aps, last night we took too much, "Ah! you're so sharp," the Snuffers said, “And turn on one so quick. Well! well! 'tis loyalty that makes You to the candle-stick! But you are always ready, and THE SAW AND THE AXE. A COCKNEY DIALOGUE. EARLY one spring morning, when the sun had scarcely melted the hoar-frost from the brown face of the wrinkled earth, an old axe happened to fall in with a saw. There was a "cutting air" abroad, that threatened the newly-shaven chin with chaps! "Ah! my old blade!" said the Axe, "how goes it with you? I came purposely to see how you do." "I really feel much obliged to you," said the Saw, "but am sorry to say that my teeth are very bad. |