When reading, “Please to ring the bell;"
And being civil, beyond measure,
"Ring it!" says Toby, "very well!
I'll ring it with a deal of pleasure."
Toby, the kindest soul in all the town,
Gave it a jerk, that almost jerk'd it down.
He waited full two minutes--no one came;
He waited full two minutes more; and then,
Says Toby, "If he's deaf, I'm not to blame!
I'll pull it for the gentleman again."
But the first peal woke Isaac in a fright;
Who, quick as lightning popping up his head,
Sat on his head's antipodes in bed,
Pale as a parsnip, bolt upright.
At length he wisely to himself did say,
Calming his fears--
"Tush! 'tis some fool has rung, and ran away,"
When peal the second rattled in his cars.
Shove jump'd into the middle of the floor;
And, trembling at each breath of air that stirr'd,
He grop'd down stairs, and opened the street door,
While Toby was performing peal the third!
Isaac eyed Toby, fearfully askaunt,
And saw he was a strapper--stout and tall;
Then put this question--"Pray, Sir, what d'ye want?"
Says Toby--I want nothing, Sir, at all."
"Want nothing? Sir! you've pull'd my bell, I vow,
As if you'd jerk it off the wire!”
Quoth Toby--gravely making him a bow--
"I pull'd it, Sir, at your desire."
"At mine?"--"Yes, yours!--I hope I've done it well!
High time for bed, Sir!--I was hastening to it;
But if you write up--'Please to ring the bell,'
Common politeness makes me stop and do it."
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