The Poacher's Wife

by Eden Phillpotts

Both young Daniel and his wife.

Also babbies, fat and hearty,

To make up the little party.

So us’ll give ’em three cheers and one cheer more,

And hope they’ll some day reach a Heavenly Shore.

“You must understand me, neighbours, ’tis not worked up to concert pitch as yet; but such as ’tis, there ’tis.”

Everybody shouted congratulations. Some stamped their feet; some rapped their mugs on the bar and on the table.

“’Tis a very fine rhyme an’ meets the whole case both in this world and the next. I’m sure,” said Mr Sweetland, “it does you credit, Beer, an’ I thank you for it.”

“Specially that part about the foreign land they’ve gone to,” declared Mr Bartley. “To hear you talk about palm-trees as if you’d walked under ’em all your life! Be blessed if I can’t see the place rise up in my mind like a picture.”