Young Jehu, tott'ring in his seat, A drove of grunting pigs before Fill'd up half the way; Dash through the midst the horses drove, And made a rueful day : For some were trampled under foot, A farmer's wife, on old blind Ball, With butter, eggs, and cheese, and cream, Ere Ball could stride the rut, amain Crash went the panniers, and the dame Now through the town the mettled pair They drove the crowd from side to side, When lo! directly in their course, A shaggy bear that stalk'd and roar'd, Sideways they started at the sight, First o'er a heap of crock'ry ware and pans, A booth stood near with tempting cakes And groc'ry richly fraught; All Birmingham on t'other side The dazzled optics caught. With active spring the nimble steeds. For while one wheel one stall engag'd, Dire was the clash; down fell the booths, Nuts, oranges, and gingerbread, And figs here roll'd around; And scissars, knives, and thimbles there Bestrew'd the glitt'ring ground. The fall of boards, the shouts and cries, And as they flew, at ev'ry step Here lay o'erturn'd, in woful plight, But now the fates decreed to stop And make the gig and driver too A ditch there lay both broad and deep, From every quarter of the town Down to its brink in heedless haste And in the midst, with sudden jerk, The prostrate gig with desp'rate force And at their heels, in ruin dire, Dragg'd lumb'ring o'er the plain. Here lay a wheel, the axle there, Till, sever'd limb from limb, the car But Jehu must not be forgot, Left flound'ring in the flood, With clothes all drench'd, and mouth and eyes Beplaster'd o'er with mud. In piteous case he waded through And gain'd the slipp'ry side, Where grinning crowds were gather'd round To mock his fallen pride. They led him to a neighbouring pump Whence cold and heartless home he slunk And many a bill for damage done His father had to pay. Take warning, youthful drivers all! From Jehu's first essay. WHY AN APPLE FALLS. PAPA (said Lucy,) I have been reading to-day, that Sir Isaac Newton was led to make some of his great discoveries by seeing an apple fall from What was there extraordinary a tree. in that? P. There was nothing extraordinary; but it happened to catch his attention, and set him a thinking. L. And what did he think about? A. He thought by what means the apple was brought to the ground. L. Why I could have told him that -because the stalk gave way, and there was nothing to support it. P. And what then? L. Why then-it must fall, you know. |