ANNALS OF A QUIET NEIGHBOURHOOD. AN ICE PICTURE.
Fair Damsel. "WHAT A LOT OF HOLIDAYS YOU SEEM TO GET, MR. MINIVER!"
Pet Curate. "WELL, YES. I KEEP A RECTOR, YOU KNOW."
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
(A Song of the Session, as sung by that Eminent and Evergreen Lion Comique, "JOLLY GLAD" at the St. Stephen's Hall of Varieties, Westminster.)
JOLLY GLAD, sings:—
With a flower in my coat,
With a keen eye for a vote,
And a sense the things to note,
Buff and Blue think,
With fond millions to admire,
A last triumph to desire,—
Am I going to Retire?—
What do you think?
Oh, I know the quidnuncs vapour,
And that Tadpole, yes, and Taper,
Tell in many a twaddling paper,
What the few think;
But they cater for the classes,
Whilst I'm champion of the masses,
Fly before such braying asses?—
What do you think?
Wish is father to their thought,
Their wild hope with fear is fraught.
They are not au fait to aught
Liberals true think.
They imagine "Mr. Fox"
Has delivered such hard knocks
That impasse my pathway blocks!—
What do you think?
Just inspect me, if you please!
Is my pose not marked by ease?
Am I going at the knees,
Like a "screw" Think!
Pooh! The part of Sisyphus
Suits me well. Why make a fuss?
Eh? Retire,—and leave things thus?
What do you think?
On the—say the Lyric Stage—
For some years I've been the rage,
And some histrios touched by age
Of Adieu think.
But I'm like that "Awful Dad,"
Though this makes my rivals mad,
Don't true Gladdyites feel glad?
What do you think?
I'm a genuine Evergreen;
It is that excites their spleen
Who my lingering on the scene
A great "do" think.
I regret, so much, to tease them!
My last exit would much ease them.
But Retire!—and just to please them!
What do you think?
[Winks and walks round.