r
That potman is dragged in!

A loud irreverent laughter
Through all the Court-house ran,
As pot in hand he stood there,
A blank bewildered man!
And so sternly looks the Praetor,
That the potman knoweth not
If he be not going straightway
Himself, at last, to pot.

"Thou caitiff!" roared the Praetor,
(And mirth was changed for awe)
"How answerest thou this outrage
On the majesty of Law?"
Right humbly spoke the potman--
"Your worship--that's my Lord--
The beer some gem'men ordered,
And in course the beer was drored.

"But as for 'Law,' and 'majesty,'
That's neither here nor there:
The beer was served as called for,
And paid for straight and fair.
And what I say, your Lordship--
And I means to put it strong--
Is what was I brought 'ere for,
When I ha'n't done nuffin wrong?"

"No wrong!" quick spoke the Praetor.
"Ho! gaoler--let him see,
That in justice's high precinct,
Right and wrong depend on me!
Go, bear him to the dungeon--
Be the lowest cell his lot!
Meanwhile to thee, chief lictor
We give in charge the pot."

They have haled him from the Court-house,
And have locked him up below;
And the lictor guards the pewter,
With its head of froth like snow.
And never while our Praetor
Dealeth stern justice here,
Will the most thirsty jury
Venture to call for beer,
Or the most reckless potman
Bring it from public near!

* * * * *

A HINT.

The _Times_ newspaper (a publication of merit, and which may possibly be
known to some of our readers) has just put forth an excellent article
deprecating the terribly long sittings of the House of Commons, and the
love of chattering, on the part of the Members--especially the new
ones--which chiefly conduces to those protracted and unwholesome
_seances_. But the _Times_ ought to be perfectly well aware that the
remedy is in its own hands. These objectionable spouters spout, not to
one another (for they ridicule one another's oratory), but to the
readers out of doors. If they could not reach these readers they would
cease to spout. _Ergo_, if the _Times_ would instruct its reporters to
report only what is worth reporting, and, in fact, to deal with all
debates as they now deal with those in Committee, when only the pith of
the speeches is given, and moreover the pith of the pithy men only, the
sittings of