A legitimate reason
Why at that time and season
His eight-post bed chooses, whichever way he stirs,
To present to his vision a couple of testers!
Since which, still more completely his spirits to damp,
He’s been roused twice by nightmare and three times by cramp!
And now he dreams some old church-bell
Is mournfully tolling a dead man’s knell,
And he starts in his sleep, and mutters, “Alas!
Man’s life’s brittle as glass!