Now Phaethon, perched in the coachman's place,
Drove off the steeds at a furious pace,
Fast as coursers running a race,
Or bounding along in a steeple-chase !
Of whip and shout there was no lack,
"Crack,-whack,-

Whack,-crack"

Resounding along the horses' back !—
Frightened beneath the stinging lash,
Cutting their flanks in many a gash.
On,-on they sped as swift as a flash,
Through thick and thin away they dash,
(Such rapid driving is always rash!)
When all at once, with a dreadful crash,
The whole establishment went to smash!
And Phaethon, he,

As all agree,

Off the coach was suddenly hurled,

Into a puddle and out of the world!

[Horace Smith

ORATOR PUFF.

MR. ORATOR PUFF had two tones in his voice,
The one squeaking thus, and the other down so;
In each sentence he uttered he gave you your choice;
For one half was B alt, and the rest G below.
O! oh! Orator Puff,

One voice for an orator's surely enough!

But he still talked away, 'spite of coughs and of frowns,
So distracting all ears with his ups and his downs,
That a wag once, on hearing the orator say,-

"My voice is for war," asked him,—" Which of them, pray?” O! oh! Orator Puff,

One voice for an orator 's surely enough!

Reeling homeward one evening, top-heavy with gin,

And rehearsing his speech on the weight of the crown, He tripped near a sawpit, and tumbled right in,

"Sinking fund," the last words as his noddle came down. O! oh! Orator Puff,

One voice for an orator's surely enough!

"O! save!" he exclaimed, in his he-and-she tones,

66

Help me out! help me out!—I have broken my bones !" "Help you out!" said a Paddy, who passed, "what a bother! Why, there's two of you there; can't you help one another?" O! oh! Orator Puff,

One voice for an orator 's surely enough!

[Thomas Moore.

A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS.

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced through their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap;
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes. should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; "Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer! and Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen ! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard, on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes, how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowliul of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed, when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

[Clement C. Moore.

ELEGY ON MRS. BLAIZE.

GOOD people all, with one accord,
Lament for Madam Blaize,
Who never wanted a good word,—
From those who spoke her praise.

The needy seldom passed her door,
And always found her kind;
She freely lent to all the poor,—
Who left a pledge behind.

She strove the neighborhood to please,
With manners wondrous winning,
And never followed wicked ways,-
Unless when she was sinning.

At church, in silks and satins new,
With hoop of monstrous size,
She never slumbered in her pew,—
But when she shut her eyes.

Her love was sought, I do aver,
By twenty beaus and more;
The king himself has followed her,—
When she has walked before.

But now her wealth and finery fled,
Her hangers-on cut short all;

The doctors found, when she was dead,
Her last disorder mortal.

Let us lament, in sorrow sore,

For Kent street well may say,

That had she lived a twelvemonth more,—

She had not died to-day.

[Goldsmith.

IS IT ANYBODY'S BUSINESS?

Is it anybody's business,

If a gentleman should choose

To wait upon a lady,

If the lady don't refuse?

Or, to speak a little plainer,

That the meaning all may know,

Is it anybody's business

If a lady has a beau ?

If a person's on the sidewalk,
Whether great or whether small,
Is it anybody's business

Where that person means to call?

Or, if you see a person

As he is calling anywhere,

Is it any of your business

What his business may be there?

The substance of our query,
Simply stated, would be this :-

Is it anybody's business,

What another's business is?