POETRY.

MIKE HOURIGA.N'S PUP.

DON'T be shpakin' at all to Mike Hourigan's pup ; 'Tie your wake an' no less av ye're wakin' him up. He denuded the town of sheep, poulthry, an' eats, An' he has himself shtuffed wid ould breeches an' hats. Is it poison P—we feasted him times by the score, An' he licked it like butther, au' axed us for more ;

An' a nate charge o' buckshot, why, Andy an' Tim, I tell ye 'tis jist vintilation to him.

Small comfort ye'll see Through the world as ye jog, If ye're apt to make free Wid a Prodesdan dog.

Faith, an' Michael himself got a shmall little taste Of the ways an' the means of that heretic baste. For his grandfather Kelly, the head of the clan, Departed in peace wid the shpagms, poor man ! An' his cwoat wid brass buttons, of illigant make, That he bought second-hand for his misthress's wake, He bequeathed it to Mike, wid his blackthorn an' hat, For his natheral life, an' his heirs afther that.

Here's a caution to each,—

Through the world as ye jog, Be houldin' no speech Wid a Prodesdan dog.

Now Mike, ¢ boy, had a girl in his eye, Wid tayshpoons an' cows an' a thrifle laid by ; An', axin' no lave of that arrogant brute, He laid himself out in the family shuit.

An', what wid the buttons, the chrame in his hair, An', maybe, the likes of a kiss here an' there, He prospered so well that she gave her consent, The priest would get word for the week before Lent.

Small comfort ye'll see Through the world as ye jog, If ye're apt to make free Wid a Prodesdan dog.

"Shure, Michael," says Bridget, "my wits was astray ; What would I be afther, forgettin' the lay?"

She shtips to the cupboard, an' " Musha !" she cries, " Ye'd be handy at helpin' yourself, I'd surmise.

Make free wid my shpoons ! och, it passes belief ! "

Is it me, thin ?" says Michael, "ye'd make me a thief P" "I would, Sorr," says she, wid a catch in the throat, - " An"tis jinglin' they are in the tail of your cwoat."

Ah ! take my advice Through the world as ye jog, An' never look twice At a Prodesdan dog.

"Is it me condiscind to your sphoons an' your cash?

Fair, I'd not soil my hand wid the dirty low thrash.

Good-day, Miss O'Leary," says Mike, an' wid that He whistles the dog, an' he feels for his hat.

"Hear that, thin !" says Bridget, an', faith, on the word A noise like a spicial collection was heard ; Thin up comes the puppy, from wanderin' at large, Wid each wag of his tail like a cavalry charge.

Here's a caution to each,—

Through the world as ye jog, Be houldin' no speech Wid a Prodesdan dog.

Says Bridget, "Black dhrames to that Prodesdan pup !

My whole expectations, he has thim chewed up !"

" Ah, no ! thin," says Mike, wid a turn of the eye, "I wouldn't say ' chewed ;' shure, they're only put by.

The fortune's invested securely, why not?

Though it couldn't be rayalised jist on the shpot.

But, Biddy asthore, till we have him deceased, It wouldn't be prudent to shpake to the priest.

Small comfort ye'll see Through the world as ye jog, If ye ever make free Wid a Prodesdan dog.

FREDERICK LINGBRIDGE.