He tells her : " It is all your fault

That I'm thus black and blind and halt ;

Your fault that I got broken bones

And fall headlong o'er stumps and stones ;

Your fault that in the ditch I mire.
Your fault my pipe sets me on lire.
Your fault I have an em))ty purse.
Your fault I drink and sw^ear and curse :

You left me in a tiltliy sty.
Among the pigs to root or die !

Repent ! I'll surely take your life

^Vith rifle, dirk, or scalping-knife !"

This foul abuse she must endure.
Apply the balm her lord to cure —

Her brave, defeated pugilist !

Ah, lost its cunning has his list.
Yet, armed with rum to do and dare,

Combative as a grizzly bear.
He fiercer grows — gets harder banged.
Ought he, his liost, or both be lianged ?

His wife there, dead, they barb'rous slew".
Her lieart's blood drop by drop liarsh drew ;

Then straightway from her new-made grave

Down to the tavern drink and rave.
46 HIGH-TONED SPREES,

And where's tlie law that dares demand
A rope to hang tliis nuird'rous band ?



THE JEALOUS iMAN ON A HIGH-TONED SPREE.
When Sirius rises with the sun,

A tiery course tliey madly run —

Make sultry the long summer days,

Old men unnerve and watch-dogs craze —

Ket resiling, then, the cooling shade

By wide-spread oak and maple made,

Beside the purling meadow stream.
Where burning sunbeams scarce can gleam.
To this retreat see Ephraim stray

Tfiis Sunday morn, truant to play ;

" Unto his idols he is joined,"

From him they cannot be purloined ;

Around him whites and blacks close crowd —

His hired men — discussing loud

Fine points of his domestic birds.
