COLUMBIA ON HER SPARROW.
(With Apologies to William Cartwright.)
["The Americans have had enough of the Sparrow (Passer domesticus), and the mildest epithet reserved for him seems to be that of 'pest.'"—Daily Chronicle.]
Tell me not of joy,—a hum!
Now the British Sparrow's come.
Sent first was he
Across the sea,
Advisers kind did flatter me,
When he winged way o'er Yankee soil,
My caterpillar swarms he'd spoil;
And oh, how pleasant that would be!
He would catch a grub, and then
It would never feed again.
My fields he'd skip,
And peck, and nip,
And on the caterpillars feed;
And nought should crawl, or hop, or run
When he his hearty meal had done.
Alas! it was a sell, indeed!
O'er my fields he makes his flight,
In numbers almost infinite;
A plague, alas!
That doth surpass
The swarming caterpillar crew.
What I did I much regret;
Passer is multiplying yet;
Check him I can't. What shall I do?
The British Sparrow won't depart,
His feathered legions break my heart.
Would he away
I would not, nay!
About mere caterpillars fuss.
Patience with grubs and moths were mine,
Would he but pass across the brine.
I call Passer Domestic Cuss!
"HERE WE HARE AGAIN!"—There are two Johnnies on the stage. JOHNNY Senior being J.L. TOOLE (now on his way home from New Zealand), and JOHNNY Junior, JOHN HARE, both immensely popular as comedians, and both in high favour with our most illustrious and judicious Patron of the Drama, H.R.H. the Prince of WALES. It is gratifying to learn that, after the performance of A Pair of Spectacles at Sandringham, the Prince presented the Junior of these two Johnnies with a silver cigar-box. In the right-hand corner of the lid is engraved a hare looking through a pair of spectacles, and inside is a dedication to JOHN HARE from ALBERT EDWARD. "Pretty compliment this," as Sir WILL SOMERS, the Court Jester, might have said,—"to JOHNNY HARE from the Hare Apparent."