ent out.

When, sudden, a plebeian
Excited, rushes in,
And, in a voice that drowneth
E'en FLATULEIUS' din,
Exclaimeth to the Praetor,
"My Lord, a party here
Says, as how them blessed jury
Is a drinkin' pots o' beer."

"Ho! call the recreant lictor!"
The angry Praetor cried.
"'Twas his to guard the doorway
That nought might be supplied--
Nor meat, nor drink, nor firing,
Excepting candle-light;
For so the Law enacteth,
And the Law is always right!"

The lictor comes--"Thou traitor!
The law dost thou deride?
How came liquor to the jury?
How was the beer supplied?"
"My lord, I heard 'em drinking,
And found out that their lay
Was to summon forth the potman
Of the public o'er the way,
Who through the open window
The pewter did convey."

One moment paused the Praetor,
And with an angry blush,
For the Common Law thus outraged,
His awful face did flush.
One moment you had fancied
He was about to swear;
But he checked the rising impulse,
And spoke with awful air:

"Bring forth to me the landlord
Of the public o'er the way;
Say 'tis the Law that calls him,
And the Law brooks no delay.
And summon, too, the potman--
Him who supplied the beer--
And now bring foreman BIBULUS
And his bold comrades here!"

With stealthy hand, still wiping
The froth from off his chin,
They have brought forth beery BIBULUS,
And his fellows in the sin.
You had not guessed the burden
Upon their thirsty souls,
Though the Praetor's eye clean through them
Its gathered lightning rolls!

Then, in Olympic thunders,
The hoarded tempest broke:
"Ye seem to take it easy;
I'll show ye 'tis no joke!
Think ye, in this its temple
The Law to flout and jeer,
Getting in through the window
Pots of illegal beer?

"The Common Law of England
Blushes for you, through me;
Little thought I that these Sessions
Would e'er such scandal see!
Go, shameless men! I'll teach ye
Your appetites to balk,
In a room whereto no pewter
Can through the windows walk;
And when you bring your verdict,
About the fine we'll talk."

BIBULUS knows the Praetor,
Nor idly pardon begs;
But goeth forth crest-fallen--
His tail between his legs--
When sudden in the lobby
Is heard a mighty din,
And before the awful Praeto