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12. "Stand back! he's only just begun-
He's having out three heats in one!"
"Don't rush in front! he'll smash your brains;

But follow up and grab the reins!"
Old Hiram spoke. Dan Pfeiffer heard,
And sprang, impatient, at the word:
Budd Doble started on his bay,
Old Hiram followed on his gray,
And off they spring, and round they go,
The fast ones doing "all they know,”
Look! twice they follow at his heels,
As round the circling course he wheels,
And whirls with him that clinging boy
Like Hector round the walls of Troy.
Still on, and on, the third time round!
They're tailing off! they're losing ground!
Budd Doble's nag begins to fail!
Dan Pfeiffer's sorrel whisks his tail!
And see! in spite of whip and shout,
Old Hiram's mare is giving out!

13. Now for the finish! At the turn,

The old horse-all the rest astern-
Comes swinging in, with easy trot;
By Jove! he's distanced all the lot!
That trot no mortal could explain;
Some said, "Old Dutchman come again!"
Some took his time at least, they tried,
But what it was could none decide;
One said he couldn't understand
What happened to his second-hand;
One said 2:10; that couldn't be-
More like two twenty-two or three;
Old Hiram settled it at last:

"The time was two-too mighty fast!"

14. The parson's horse had won the bet;
It cost him something of a sweat;
Back in the one-horse shay he went.
The parson wondered what it meant,

And murmured, with a mild surprise
And pleasant twinkle of the eyes,
"That funeral must have been a trick,
Or corpses drive at double quick;
I shouldn't wonder, I declare,

If Brother Murray made the prayer!"
And this is all I have to say
About the parson's poor old bay,

The same that drew the one-horse shay.
Moral for which this tale is told:
A horse can trot, for all he's old.

Robert of Lincoln.

W. C. BRYANT.

1. Merrily swinging on brier and weed, Near to the nest of his little dame,

Over the mountain-side or mead,

Robert of Lincoln is telling his name:
Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink;

Snug and safe is that nest of ours,
Hidden among the summer flowers,
Chee, chee, chee.

2. Robert of Lincoln is gayly dressed,

Wearing a bright black wedding coat,

White are his shoulders and white his crest,
Hear him call in his merry note,
Bob-o'-link, bob-o'link,

Spink, spank, spink;

Look, what a nice new coat is mine,
Sure there was never a bird so fine.
Chee, chee, chee.

3. Robert of Lincoln's Quaker wife,

Pretty and quiet, with plain brown wings, Passing at home a patient life,

Broods in the grass while her husband sings

Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,
Spink, spank, spink;

Brood, kind creature; you need not fear
Thieves and robbers while I am here.
Chee, chee, chee.

4. Modest and shy as a nun is she,
One weak chirp is her only note,
Braggart and prince of braggarts is he,
Pouring boasts from his little throat:"
Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink;
Never was I afraid of man;

Catch me, cowardly knaves, if you can.
Chee, chee, chee.

5. Six white eggs on a bed of hay,

Flecked with purple, a pretty sight! There, as the mother sits all day, Robert is singing with all his might: Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink;

Nice good wife, that never goes out,
Keeping house while I frolic about.
Chee, chee, chee.

6. Soon as the little ones chip the shell Six wide mouths are open for food; Robert of Lincoln bestirs him well, Gathering seed for the hungry brood. Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink;

This new life is likely to be

Hard for a gay young fellow like me.
Chee, chee, chee.

7. Robert of Lincoln at length is made

Sober with work and silent with care;

Off is his holiday garment laid,

Half forgotten that merry air,

Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,
Spink, spank, spink;

Nobody knows but my mate and I
Where our nest and our nestlings lie.
Chee, chee, chee.

8. Summer wanes, the children are grown;
Fun and frolic no more he knows;
Robert of Lincoln's a humdrum crone;
Off he flies, and we sing as he goes:
Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink;

When you can pipe that merry old strain,
Robert of Lincoln, come back again.
Chee, chee, chee.

The Bald-Headed Man.

The other day a lady, accompanied by her son, a very small boy, boarded a train at Little Rock. The woman had a careworn expression hanging over her face like a tattered veil, and many of the rapid questions asked by the boy were answered by unconscious sighs.

"Ma," said the boy, "that man's head is like a baby, aint it?" pointing to a bald-headed man sitting just in front of them.

"Hush!"

"Why must I hush?"

After a few moments' silence, "Ma, what's the matter with that man's head?"

“Hush, I tell you. He's bald.”

66
'What's bald?"

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"Will you care?"

66 Don't ask so many questions."

After another silence, the boy exclaimed, "Ma, there's a fly on that man's head."

"If you don't hush, I'll whip you when we get home." "Look! There's another fly. Two flies, see 'em fight." "Madam," said the man, putting aside a newspaper and looking around, "what's the matter with that young hyena?"

The woman blushed, stammered out something, and attempted to smooth back the boy's hair.

"One fly, two flies, three flies," said the boy.

"Here, you young hedgehog, if you don't hush I'll have the conductor put you off the train."

The poor woman, not knowing what else to do, boxed the boy's ears, and then gave him an orange to keep him from crying.

"Ma, have I got any red marks on my head?"

"I'll whip you again if you don't hush."

"Mister," said the boy, after a short silence, "does it hurt to be bald-headed ?"

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Youngster," said the man, "if you'll keep quiet, I'll give you a quarter."

The boy promised, and the money was paid over. “This is my bald-headed money," said the boy. get bald-headed, I'm goin' to give boys money. all bald-headed men got money?”

"When I

Mister, have

The Dead Doll.

MARGARET VANDEGRIFT.

1. You needn't be trying to comfort me: I tell you my dolly is dead!

There's no use in saying she isn't, with a crack like that in

her head!

It's just like you said it wouldn't hurt much to have my

tooth out that day;

And then, when the man most pulled my head off, you hadn't a word to say.

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