SELECTED POETRY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11581, 13 October 1900, Page 1 (Supplement)

SELECTED POETRY.

THE MOUSE AND THE LION, j BY ROBERT S. TALCOTT. One satumer day.a hungry little mou3e, Wbo thoroughly had searched all through the house, Looking iv vain for some small bit or scrap, Went out of door?, and fell into n trap. 'Twas nicely baited with apiece of cheese; The door stood wide ; he crept with perfect ease Close np to where the tempting morsel hung — One nibble, and the crnel trap was sprung. Just ttien a noble iion he chanced to see, Who travelled with a large mennserie, And eaily every morning left his lair And strolled about to take the country air. With trembling voice he called on him for aid. " Why, certainly, of course," the lion said, '■i It seems some thousand year 3or so ago, STour ancestors helped one of mine, you know. tt now becomes my duty to repay I'he favour shown him, without delay." Be raised his foot, and with his mighty tread, He crunched the trap, and left poor • mousie — dead, [t oft occurs that over-zealous friends, Who strive to help us to obtain our ends With very best intentions overdo it. knd often give us ample cause to rue it. EHE MAN WHO HAD HEARD IT BEFORE. STon tell him a joke yon relied on ab new, He smiles in a wearisome way ; From a comedy now you recitft him a bit, He say a he saw it at the play, STon give him a story that never yet failed To set all who heard it in a roar ; 3e nods half approva 1 , and tnrns him away, And murmurs " I've heard it before." rhe girl whom you woo in ypnr tenderest tone, Whose heart you are seeking to gain, Listens coldly to all you may hare to protest, Seeming only to wish you'd refrain, if on seek for some phrase not totally trite, And c'en the Ihe3aurus explore ; !t's all of no use, and you bid her goodby— You see she has heard it before. low sad it must be to go onward like this, With nothing on c irth to enjoy, \.nd never make anyone happy yourself, And only find things to annoy ; BHs life, like an orange whose juices are gone, 'Tig a dry, empty shell, and no more;' Uas, he is much to be pitied, not blamed— The man who has heard it before.