Miss Bessie's quick ear caught a step at the gate.

"'Tis mother!" she cried: "oh, go quick, I implore!

But father'll drive 'round and come in the back-door!

You can not escape them, however you turn!

So hide for a while—let me see—in this churn!"

The churn was quite large enough for him to turn in—

Expanded out so,

By machinery to go,

'Twould have done for a dairy-man-Cyclops to churn in.

'Twas fixed for attaching a pitman or lever,