THE CONTEST FOR AN ALDERMANIC GOWN.
A certain alderman, well known in town,
'Twas rumoured had at last resigned his gown;
Report was right, denial had been vain,
That gown, just like the gentle Desdemona,
Had oft been made to turn and turn again
And still go on, by its too thrifty owner.
At length it had become disgraceful truly;
Upon economy no more he stands,
But taking off his gown, resigns it duly
Into the livery's (that's his footman's) hands.
The livery servant looks into the street,—
He sees two dealers in old clothes come down;
Shouts he, "I will invite them to compete
For this now vacant aldermanic gown."
They poll against each other; one is willing
To give, but not to go beyond, a shilling:
The other puts it to the livery's sense,
By tendering on the instant thirteen pence.
They wrangle, and their offers slowly raise,
Till at the self-same figure both remain;
The choice the anxious livery dismays,
The vacant gown which of them ought to gain.
At length it strikes the livery—of the two,
The one that wears three hats must be a Jew:
Unto the other is the gown decreed,
The livery saying he is left no choice,—
In fact, he's quite without a voice:
He is, indeed!
The corporation having laid it down
No Jew shall have the aldermanic gown.