 | Poems by St. John Honeywood . |  |
89
IMPROMPTU.
[_]
The Author went one day to a country neighbour's to borrow a couple of bottles. He was surprised at finding the Minister of the parish (a Scotch Seceder) and his Deacons assembled at the house, on church business. On his return he described their appearance and conduct, and his own embarrassment, in the following extemporaneous lines.
Which seem'd to say, “Thou tread'st on hallow'd ground;”
Anon a man of visage sad and thin,
The unwilling door slow opening, let me in:
There I beheld six reverend saints, who sat
Around the board in stern religious state;
A seven-fold gloom enveloped every face,
And Death's grim horrors shaded all the place.
What could I do? 'twere base to run away,
And 'twere profane with holy men to stay.
90
I strove to speak, my faltering voice betray'd:
Trembling, at length I approach'd the good old man,
And, bowing low, in whispers thus began—
“Lend me two bottles, Sir, I ask no more.”
“Take them,” he cried, and pointed to the door.
| Poems by St. John Honeywood . | |