-l                      SELECTIONS FR03f THE POETS.

THE VAGABONDS.
BY J. T. TROWBRIDGL
E are two travelers, Roger and 1.
Roger's my dog- Come here, you scamp!
,    Jump for the gentleman,- mind your eye!
Over the table, -look out for the lamp!-
Toe gue is growing a little old;
Five years we've tramped through wind and weather,
And slept out doors when nights were cold,
And ate and drank - and starved - together
We've learned what comfort is, I tell you!
A bed on the floor, a bit of rosin,
A bit of fire to thaw our thumbs (poor fellow!
The paw he holds up there 's been frozen,)
Plenty of catgut for my fiddle,
(This out-door business is bad for strings,)
Then a few nice buckwheats, hot from the griddle,
And Roger and I set up for kings!
No, thank ye, sir, - I never drink ;
Roger and I are exceedingly moral -
Are n't we, Roger ?-See him wink!
Well, something hot, then, we won't quarrel.
He's thirsty, too, see him nod his head I
What a pity, sir, that dogs can't talk!
Ile understands every word that's said,
And he knows good milk from water-and-chalk.
The truth is, sir, now I reflect,
I've been so sadly given to grog,
I wonder I 've not lost the respect
(Here's to you, sir !) even of my dog;
But he sticks by, through thick and thin;
And this old coat, with its empty pockets
And rags that smell of tobacco and gin,
Ie '11 follow while he has eyes in his sockets..

There is n't another creature lis
Would do it, and prove throu
So fond, so faithful, and so forg
To such a miserable, thankle
No, sir !- see him wag his tail
By George ! it makes my old
That is, there's something in tl
That chokes a fellow. Buti

every disaster,

Now tell us how many drams it takes
To honor a jolly new acquaintance.
Five yelps, - that's five; he's mighty knowing !
The night's before us, fill the glasses !-
Quick, sir ! I'm ill, - my brain is going -
Some brandy, - thank you, - there, it passes.
Why not reform? That's easily said ;.
But I've gone through such wretched treatment.
Sometimes forgetting the taste of bread,
And scarce remembering what meat meant,
That my poor stomach's past reform ;
And there are times when, mad with thinking,
I'd sell out heaven for something warm,
To prop a horrible inwardsinking.
Is there a way to forget to think ?
At your age, sir, home, fortune, friends,
A dear girl's love,- but I took to drink; -
The same old story; you know how it ends.
If you could have seen these classic features,
You need n't laugh, sir ; they were not then
Such a burning libel on God's creatures;
I was one of your handsome men:

If you had seen I
Whose head w
If you could hav(
When the wine
That ever I, sir,
From door to
Ragged and penm
To you to-nigl
She's married si

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