NEARER HOME._)

[Illustration]

Ole Man Crow he wuz settin' on der rail,
Brer Fox he up en he sez, sezee,
"Dis yer's a sight dat yo' otter see!"
En he show him der tip of his (Ulster) tail.
"Eve'y gent otter have a lick at dis yer,
So's ter know w'at's w'at; en _yer_ needn't fear!"
"Oho! Oho!"
Sez Ole Man Crow.
"But der Irish butter I've a notion dat _I_ know!"

Brer Fox he boast, and Brer Fox he bounce,
But Ole Man Crow heft his weight to an ounce.
"Wat, tote me round der Orange-grove?"
Sez Ole Man Crow, sezee;
"Tooby sho dat's kyind, but I radder not rove
Wer der oranges are flyin' kinder free;
Wer One-eyed RILEY en Slipshot SAM
Sorter lam one ernudder ker-blunk, ker-blam!
Tree stan' high, but honey mighty sweet--
Watch dem bees wid stingers on der feet!
Make a bow ter de Buzzard, en den ter de Crow,
Takes a limber-toe'd gemman for ter jump Jim Crow!"

Den Brer Fox snortle en Brer Fox frown.
Sezee, "You're settin dar sorter keerless-like," sezee.
"But yer better come down,
Der is foes a broozin' roun'
W'at will give yer wus den butter in der North Countree.
You'll get mixed wid der Tar-Baby ef inter der North yo' pitch,
For der North ain't gwinter cave in, radder die in der las' ditch!"

Den Ole Man Crow up en sez, sezee,
"You been runnin' roun' a long time, en a-sassin' atter me;
But I speck you done come to de end er de row.
You wun't frighten me not wuth a cent.," sez Ole Man Crow.
"I ain't gwine nowhere skasely; I'll be busy near dis rail.
You wun't tempt me wid de butter--or der powder--on yo' tail.
Good-bye, Brer Fox, take keer yo' cloze,
For dis is de way de worril goes;
Some goes up en some goes down.
_You_'ll get ter de bottom all safe en soun'!
I'll watch yo' 'strategy' wid int'rest, now en den,
En--well, I'll try ter _look_, des as _frightened_ as I ken!"

* * * * *

The House of Lords Committee of Privileges decided that Captain
FORESTER's action in the Barnard Peerage case was a Vane attempt.
"The chance," said the _Times_, "of such a prize as Raby Castle, with
L60,000 a-year, is likely to tempt a man to think his arguments and
claims are better than they really are." Raby Castle on the brain
would soon become a sort of Rabies.

* * * * *

HAMLET IN HALF AN HOUR.

(_PREPARED FOR THE HALLS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE S