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Élse, my pretty swallow,

Thou wouldst not so gaily
Twitter át my window

Júst before the sunrise,

Bút wouldst go and hide thee

Sádly in some córner

With the móping ówlet
Ánd ill-bóding raven.

Yés he 's coming homeward,
Prétty cléft-tailed swallow,

Tell me the whole stóry,

Twitter, twitter, twitter.

Walking from BAILLEUL to EBBLINGHEM, DEP. DU NORD (FRANCE); Nov. 19, 1854.

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With old háy your rack 's filled,
Eát and sleep till morning,
Then I'll bring you móre oats

Pleasant dreams, my póny.

TOURNAY (BELGIUM); Nov. 15, 1854.

Emigrant sings.

Nór a day from heaven comes

Bút I think a dózen times
Óf those Í 've behind me
Léft in my old country,

Óf my father, móther,
Óf my sisters, brothers,
Óf my aúnts and coúsins,
Wondering how they áll are;

Bút of theé, my Nánny,
Eách day Í but once think,
For thou 'rt ábsent néver

Fróm my mind one moment.

ST. OMER, PAS DE CALAIS (FRANCE); Nov. 20, 1854.

MOTHER'S PRAYER FOR HER CHILD.

BLESSINGS on my báby,

Gód presérve and love it,
From all dánger keep it,
Wáking, sleeping, álways.

Don't make it a great man,
Grácious Gód, I pray thee;
Greátness is uncertain,
Óf itself down túmbles.

Don't make it a wise man ;
Wisdom is mere fólly -
Pérsecúted álways,

Háted by the whole world.

Bút make it a kind man;
Kindness still is happy,
Éven while it's cheated,

ill used by the whole world.

TOURNAY (BELGIUM); Nov. 15, 1854.

THE SOLDIER AND THE BRIGAND.

"LAWLESS róbber, bloody cút-throat,"

Said the soldier to the brigand,
"Í shall see thee hánged I hópe yet,
Wére it bút as an example

Thát slow-foóted justice sometimes
Óvertákes the málefáctor."

"Licensed róbber, wholesale cút-throat,"

Said the brigand to the sóldier,
"I shall see thee shót I hope yet,
Wére it bút as an example

Thát one-sided justice sometimes
Ís by accidént impartial."

STAR INN, GILLINGHAM (KENT); Nov. 23, 1854.

To my gray beard.

It's a bargain, gray beard,

Signed and sealed and públished, Thoú and Í the opposite

High contracting párties.

Thoú on thý part, gray beard,

Únderták'st to cover

Ánd, as fár as máy be,

Hide from view the fúrrows

Tíme has on my súnk cheeks
Ánd about my lips ploughed,
Ánd before my toothless

Shrunk gums háng a thíck veil.

Thou shalt fúrther, gray beard,

Áll the livelong winter

With thy friendly múffle

Shield my throát and lánk jaws,

Máking me feel warmer

Thán if round my néck tied

Cómfortér of lamb's wool

Ór chinchilla tippet.

Lastly, thoú engagest

Thát no óne shall hénceforth
Táke me fór a woman

Ór dwarfed, withered schoolboy.

Í, on my part, bind me
Évery day to trím thee,

Wash, comb, oil and brúsh thee

Ánd in órder keep thee;

Álso to my lást gasp
Stoútly to defend thee
Fróm the extérmináting
Bárber's soap and rázor.

Só in strict alliance
We shall live together,
Shéltering and protecting
Úntil death each other.

Óf our sólemn treaty

This the prótocól is.

Keep thou thý word, gray beard,

And I'll trúly míne keep.

QUEEN'S SQUARE, BLOOMSBURY, LONDON; Dec. 3, 1854.

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