THE SWEEP’S COMPLAINT.
“I like to meet a sweep—such as come forth with the dawn, or somewhat earlier, with their little professional notes, sounding like the peep, peep, of a young sparrow.”—ESSAYS OF ELIA.
——“A voice cried Sweep no more!
Macbeth hath murdered sweep.”—SHAKSPEARE.
ONE morning ere my usual time
I rose, about the seventh chime,
When little stunted boys that climb
Still linger in the street:
And as I walked, I saw indeed
A sample of the sooty breed,
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Though he was rather run to seed,
In height above five feet.
A mongrel tint he seem’d to take,
Poetic simile to make,
DAY through his MARTIN ’gan to break,
White overcoming jet.
From side to side he cros............