Chapter VIII: Introduction (7)

Yet round the world the blade has been
To see whatever could be seen,
Returning from his finished tour,
Grown ten times perter than before;
Whatever word you chance to drop,
The traveled fool your mouth will stop:
"Sir, if my judgment you'll allow,
I've seen--and sure I ought to know,"
So begs you'd pay a due submission,
And acquiesce in his decision.

Two travelers of such a cast,
As o'er Arabia's wilds they passed
And on their way in friendly chat,
Now talked of this, and then of that,
Discoursed awhile, 'mongst other matter.
Of the chameleon's form and nature.
"A stranger animal," cries one,
"Sure never lived beneath the sun.
A lizard's body, lean and long,
A fish's head, a serpent's tongue,
Its foot with triple claw disjoined;
And what a length of tail behind!
How slow its pace; and then its hue--
Who ever saw so fine a blue?"

"Hold, there," the other quick replies,
"'T is _green_, I saw it with these eyes,
As late with open mouth it lay,
And warmed it in the sunny ray:
Stretched at its ease, the beast I viewed
And saw it eat the air for food."
"I've seen it, sir, as well as you,
And must again affirm it blue;
At leisure I the beast surveyed,
Extending in the cooling shade."
"'T is green, 't is green, sir I assure ye!"
"Green!" cries the other in a fury--

"Why, sir!--d'ye think I've lost my eyes?"
"'T were no great loss," the friend replies,
"For, if they always serve you thus,
You'll find them of but little use."

So high at last the contest rose,
From words they almost came to blows;
When luckily came by a third--
To him the question they referred,
And begged he'd tell 'em, if he knew,
Whether the thing was green or blue.
"Sirs," cries the umpire, "cease your pother!
The creature's neither one nor t' other.
I caught the animal last night,
And viewed it o'er by candlelight:
I marked it well--'t was black as jet--
You stare--but sirs, I've got it yet,
And can produce it." "Pray, sir, do:
I'll lay my life the thing is blue."
"And I'll be sworn, that when you've seen
The reptile, you'll pronounce him green."
"Well, then, at once to ease the doubt,"
Replies the man, "I'll turn him out:
And when before your eyes I've set him,
If you don't find him black, I'll eat him."
He said: then full before their sight
Produced the beast, and lo!--'t was white.

Both stared, the man looked wondrous wise--
"My children," the chameleon cries,
(Then first the creature found a tongue,)
"You are all right, and all are wrong:
When next you talk of what you view,
Think others see as well as you;
Nor wonder, if you find that none
Prefers your eyesight to his own."

JAMES MERRICK

* * * * *

THE BLACKBERRY GIRL

"Why, Phebe, are you come so soon?
Where are your berries, child?
You cannot, sure, have sold them all,
You had a basket piled."

"No, mother, as I climbed the fence,
The nearest way to town,
My apron caught upon the stake,
And so I tumbled down.

"I scratched my arm and tore my hair,
But still did not complain;
And had my blackberries been safe,
Should not have cared a grain.

"But when I saw them on the ground.
All scattered by my side,
I picked my empty basket up,
And down I sat and cried.

"Just then a pretty little Miss
Chanced to be walking by;
She stopped, and looking pitiful,
She begged me not to cry.

"'Poor little girl, you fell,' said she,
'And must be sadly hurt;'
'Oh, no,' I cried; 'but see my fruit,
All mixed with sand and dirt.'

"'Well, do not grieve for that,' she said;
'Go home, and get some more,'
'Ah, no, for I have stripped the vines,
These were the last they bore.

"'My father, Miss, is very poor,
And works in yonder stall;
He has so many little ones,
He cannot clothe us all.

"'I always longed to go to church,
But never could I go;
For when I asked him for a gown,
He always answered, "No.

"'"There's not a father in the world
That loves his children more;
I'd get you one with all my heart,
But, Phebe, I am poor."

"'But when the blackberries were ripe,
He said to me one day,
"Phebe, if you will take the time
That's given you for play,

"'"And gather blackberries enough,
And carry them to town,
To buy your bonnet and your shoes,
I'll try to get a gown."

"'Oh, Miss, I fairly jumped for joy,
My spirits were so light;
And so, when I had leave to play,
I picked with all my might.

"'I sold enough to get my shoes,
About a week ago;
And these, if they had not been spilt,
Would buy a bonnet, too.

"'But now they're gone, they all are gone,
And I can get no more,
And Sundays I must stay at home,
Just as I did before.'

"And, mother, then I cried again
As hard as I could cry;
And looking up, I saw a tear
Was standing in her eye.

"She caught her bonnet from her head,
'Here, here,' she cried, 'take this!'
'Oh, no, indeed--I fear your ma
Would be offended, Miss.'

"'My ma! no, never; she delights
All sorrow to beguile;
And 't is the sweetest joy she feels,
To make the wretched smile.

"'She taught me when I had enough,
To share it with the poor;
And never let a needy child,
Go empty from the door.

"'So take it, for you need not fear
Offending her, you see;
I have another, too, at home,
And one's enough for me,'

"So then I took it--here it is--
For pray what could I do?
And, mother, I shall love that Miss
As long as I love you."

UNKNOWN

* * * * *

MABEL ON MIDSUMMER DAY

A STORY OF THE OLDEN TIME