The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Dragon of Wantley, by Owen Wister

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Title: The Dragon of Wantley
His Tale

Author: Owen Wister

Illustrator: John Stewardson

Release Date: August 28, 2008 [EBook #26448]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE DRAGON
OF
WANTLEY

HIS TALE

_By_ Owen Wister

_Illustrations by John Stewardson_

SECOND EDITION

Philadelphia
J.B.LIPPINCOTT COMPANY
1895

[Illustration: .COPYRIGHT.1892.

.BY.J.B.LIPPINCOTT.COMPANY.

PRINTED.BY.J.B.LIPPINCOTT.COMPANY

.PHILADELPHIA.USA.]

TO
MY ANCIENT PLAYMATES IN APPIAN
WAY CAMBRIDGE THIS LIKELY
STORY IS DEDICATED FOR REASONS
BEST KNOWN TO THEMSELVES

Preface

When Betsinda held the Rose
And the Ring decked Giglio's finger
Thackeray! 'twas sport to linger
With thy wise, gay-hearted prose.
Books were merry, goodness knows!
When Betsinda held the Rose.

Who but foggy drudglings doze
While Rob Gilpin toasts thy witches,
While the Ghost waylays thy breeches,
Ingoldsby? Such tales as those
Exorcised our peevish woes
When Betsinda held the Rose.

Realism, thou specious pose!
Haply it is good we met thee;
But, passed by, we'll scarce regret thee;
For we love the light that glows
Where Queen Fancy's pageant goes,
And Betsinda holds the Rose.

Shall we dare it? Then let's close
Doors to-night on things statistic,