THE LADIES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5445, 28 July 1879, Page 3

THE LADIES.

At a banquet recently given in Dunedin a Mr T. Bracken replied to the toast of " The Ladies " in the following novel manner ': — You ask me to " speak " for the ladies ; You ronlly can t mean what you ask : To talk to; 1 each matron and maid is To mo an impossible task. Before you proposed such a toast, sir, I think that you ought to have known Their power of speecli ; they can boast, sir,' Such smart little tongues of then own, That were I to talk, at this table, Till time brought the climax of years, I should, I am sure, be unable To represent one of the dears. Be oro me are men who can speak, sir — Strong eloquent limbs of the law — But though tln-y haVo plenty of " cheek," sir, They can't match " The Ladies " for " jaw." Now mind, sir, I don't speak for certain, I3ut married men tell me it's clear Thnt "lectures" ii' 'Cturnal, culled "curtain," : Are very delightful to heur. , Bb this as it may, I've a notion That if the rough sex were alone,, I As masters of earth, air, sind ocean, ' ' And Adam ha<l not lost a bono, iiulh physic anil law would Uavc vanished ; Then squabislos would ccrtaiuTy cease :"' Cribs, cradles, and cots ■would be banished, - And earth woul'i have i lenf.y of peace. • Alone, Here, we should not be needing A " lomu " from the islands afar : In short, sir, \vv sir oidd not be feeding And drinking to-night as we are ; Sir Julius S'ogel would never From this have been tempted to roam ; Old friends should have no cause to sever; Judge Bathgatc would never go Ilorue. I think I have made it quite plain, bir, That to the fair creatures we owe The joy, sorrow, pluasure, and pain, sir, The good and tho evil we know ; And therefore it uould lie unwise, sir, To cither applaud or condemn — "Tiio Ladies" wo must not dosp sc, sir, Allow me to thank you for them.