THE VULTURE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 173, 1 June 1871, Page 7

THE VULTURE.

AN ORNITHOtiOttICHL STUDY. (After the late Edgar Allan Poe.) The vulture is the most cruel, deadly, nid r voracious of birds of prey. He is remarkable 'for his keen scent, and for the tenacity with which he invariably clings to the victim on •whom, he has fixed his gripe. He is not to be shaken off whilst the humblest pickings remain. He is usually to be found in an indiffei ent state of feather. — New translation of Cuvier. Once upon a midnight chilling, as I held my feet unwilling O'er a tub of scalding water, at a heat of ninetyfonr; Nervously a toe in dipping, dripping, slipping, then outskipping. Suddenly there came a ripping whipping at my chamber door. " 'Tis the second floor," I muttered, " flipping at my chamber door — Wants a light — and nothing more !" Ah. ! distinctly I remember, it was in the chill November, And each cuticle and member was with Influenza sore ; Falt'ringly I stirr'd the gruel, steaming creaming o'er the fuel, And anon removed the jewel that each frosted nostril bore — Wiped away the trembling jewel that each redden'd nostril boreNameless here for evermore ! And I .recollect a certain draught that fann'd the window cuitain, Chill'd me. fill'd me with a horror of twu &teps across the floor, And, besides, I'd got my feet in, and a most refreshing heat in — To myself I sat repeating- -" If I answer to the door, Ri3e to let the ruffian in who seems to want to burst, the door, I'll be " that tind something more. Presently the row grew stronger ; hesitating now no longer, " Beallj Mister Johnson, blow it ! your forgiveness I implore. Such an observation letting slip, but when a man's just getting Into bed, you come upsetting nerves and posts of chamber door, Making such a row, forgetting '"— Spoke a voice beyond the door, " Tisn't Johnson "'— nothing more. Quick a perspiration, clammy bathed mo, and I uttered '* Damniy ! " (Observation wrested from me, like the one I made before) . Back upon the cushions sinkiag, hopelessly my eyes, like winking, On some stout for private drinking, ranged in rows upon the floor, Fix'd, and on an oyster barrel (full) beside them on the floor,

Look'd and groan'd, and nothing more. Open then was flung the portal, and in stepp'd a hated mortal, By the moderns call'd a Vulture (known as Sponge in days of yore), Well I knew his reputation 1 cause of all my agitation — Scarce a nod or salutation changed, he pounced upon the floor ; Coolly lifted up the oysters and some stoutfrom off the floor.

Help'd himself, and took some more. Then this hungry beast untiring fix'd his gaze with fond admiring On a piece of cold boil'd beef I meant to last a week or more, Quick he set to work devouring— plates, in quick succession, scouring, Stout with every mouthful show'ring— made me ask to see it pour ; If he quite enjoyed his supper, as I watch'd the liquid pour;

Said the Vulture, "Never more i :> Much disgusted at the vacuum by this brute voracious Excavated in the beef -(he'd eaten quite enough for four) — Still, I felt relief surprising when at length I saw him rising, That he meant to go surmising; said I, glancing at the door — " Going ? well, I won't detain you -mind the stairs and shut the door "

" Leave you, Tom Idas ! never more !' Startled by an answer dropping hints that he intended stopping All his lite -I know him equal to it if he liked, or more — Half in dismal earnest half in joke, with an attempt at laughing, I remarked that lie was chaffing, and demanded of the bore, Ask'd what this disgusting, nasty, greedy, vile, intrusive bore Meant in croaking " Never more !" But the Vulture, not replying, took my bunch of keys, and trying Several, found at length the one to fit my private cupboard door ; Took the gin out, fill'd the kettle ; and with a sang froid to nettle Any saint, began to settle calmly down the grate before, Really as he meant departing at the date I named before, Of never, never more ! Then I sat engaged in guessing what this cirenmstance distressing "Would he likely to result in, for I knew that long before, Once (it served me right for drinking) I had told him that if sinking In the world, my fortunes linking to his own, he'd find my door Always open to receive him, and it struck me now that door He would pass, p'raps never more ! Suddenly the air was clouded, all the furniture enshrouded With the smoke of mild tobacco- this was woise than all before ; ** Smith !' : I ciied (in not offensive tones, it might have been expensive, For he knew the art defensive, and could costermongers floor) ; ''Recollect it's after midnight, are you going? mind the floor." Quoth the Vulture, *' Never more !" 41 Smith ! " I cried, (the gin was going down his throat in rivers flowing) *' If you want a bed, you know there's quite a nice hotel next door. Very cheap— l'm ill— and joking set apart, your horrid smoking Irritates my cough to choking. Having mentioned it before, Beally you should not compel me— will you mizzle as before ? " Quoth the Vulture, "Nevermore!', " Smith ! "I cried, "that joke repeat ; ng, merits little better treating For you than a condemnation as a nuisance and a bdre ; Drop it, pray, it isn't funny : I've to mix some rum and honey - If you want a little money, take some and be off next door ; Run a bill up for me if you like, but do be off next door." Quoth the Vulture, " Never more !" " Smith ! " I shriek'd— the accent humbler drop- ■ , ping as another tumbler I beheld him mix — " be off ! You drive me mad —it's striking fourLeave the house and something in it ; if you go on at the gin, it Won't hold out another minute. Leave the house and shut the doorTake your beak from out my gin, and your body . through the door ! " Quoth the Vulture, " Never more !" And the Vulture never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting, Gulping down my stout by gallons, and my oysters by the score ; And the beast, with no more breeding than a heathen savage feeding, The new carpet's tints unheeding, thrown his shells upon the floor. And his smoke from out my curtains, and his stains from out my floor, . Shall be sifted never more,!