ANCEDOTE.
THE LAWYER AND THE CHIMNEY-SWEEPER.
A ROGUISH old lawyer was planning new sin,
As he lay on his bed in a fit of the gout;
The mails and the daylight were just coming in,
The milkmaids and rush-lights were just going out;
When a chimney-sweep's boy, who had made a mistake,
Came flop down the flue with a clattering rush,
And bawl'd, as he gave his black muzzle a shake,
"My master's a-coming to give you a brush."
"If that be the case," said the cunning old elf,
"There's no time to lose it is high time to flee.---
Ere he gives me a brush, I will brush off myself...
If I wait for the devil---the devil take me!"
So he limp'd to the door without saying his prayers;
But Old Nick was too deep to be nick'd of his prey;
For the knave broke his neck by a tumble down stairs,
And thus ran to the devil by running away.
FINIS,
