THE DERBY WEEK.
(A Long Way After a Longfellow.)
Oh, Derby week, oh, Derby week, how precious are thy pleasures!
Not hymned alone in summer-time
With hoarse enthusiastic rhyme,
Oh, Derby week, oh, Derby week, but hailed in pewtern measures!
Oh, Derby week, oh, Derby week, how coarse the cads who "put on"
Their three half-crowns for Insulaire,
Or intimate Sir Joseph's "square."
Oh, Derby week, oh, Derby week—as if I cared a button!
Saturnian feasts, Saturnian feasts, you ape, despite Dame Grundy.
We laugh until the dread bell rings,
But oh, the aches to-morrow brings,
And Derby week, and Derby week, that reckoning on the Monday!
The welsher's book, the welsher's book, is mirror of thy glories:
It's ready when their horse comes in,
But somewhat muddled when you win.
The welsher's book, the welsher's book, whips Black's in point of stories!
So Derby week, oh, Derby week, your usual style, we think, errs,
In ending in too cheerful nights,
Headaches and debts, green veils and fights,
And Derby week, oh, Derby week, Dutch dolls and British drinkers.
Funny Folks, June 8, 1878.
The following are parodies of the "Saga of King Olaf," contained in Longfellow's "Tales of a Wayside Inn":—