A Pathetic Ballad.

“Oh flesh, flesh, how art thou fishified!”— MERCUTIO
1.

’Twas twelve o’clock by Chelsea chimes,

When all in hungry trim,

Good Mister Jupp sat down to sup

With wife, and Kate, and Jim.
2.

Said he, “Upon this dainty cod

How bravely I shall sup”—

When, whiter than the tablecloth,

A GHOST came rising up!
3.

“O father dear, O mother dear,

Dear Kate, and brother Jim —

You know when some one went to sea —

Don’t cry — but I am him!”
4.

“You hope some day with fond embrace

To greet your absent Jack,

But oh, I am come here to say

I’m never coming back!”
5.

“From Alexandria we set sail,

With corn, and oil, and figs,

But steering ‘too much Sow,’ we struck

Upon the Sow and Pigs!”
6.

“The ship we pumped till we could see

Old England from the tops;

When down she went with all our hands,

Right in the Channel’s Chops.”
7.

“Just give a look in Norey’s chart,

The very place it tells;

I think it says twelve fathom deep,

Clay bottom, mixed with shells.”
8.

“Well, there we are till ‘hands aloft,’

We have at last a call;

The pug I had for brother Jim,

Kate’s parrot too, and all.”
9.

“But oh, my............