Page:Reuben and other poems.pdf/79



Howsumever, come round to the front, why we found That even the box it was full. But they all holler’d loud: “’Tis a bit of a crowd, But we've room for you, Missus—and only too proud”— “Heave her up, Pete, and we'll pull.” There was some o’ me up, there was some o’ me down— A bash to my bonnet, a tear in my gown. But what of the climb when you're up to the top? The rougher you've travelled, the sweeter you stop. Then they hoisted an’ shoved my old man to a seat, An’ “Gee-up!” cries Ben. An’ ’twas truly a treat To get such a view o’ the shops an’ the street, Outside o’ the mail into Mennen.

’Twas a-growing so dark, I’d a puzzle to mark How many was taking the air. There was Benny, an’ Willy the shopman, an’ Zack (That’s three) on the front seat; an’ four on the back— Schoolmaster, wi’ newly-cut hair, Grace Annie, the post-girl, an’ next to her me, An’ Pete, all a-tuck’d in as tight as could be. We'd an apron o’ sacking, an’ straw underfoot, Our marketing safely bestow’d in the boot,