WitH THE STORY TELLERS

Says: “Take from me this hump so vile!

And then he adds with a grim smile;

“Jack Madden ’twould become in style
Who at me laughs.

The fairy king addressed his court:
The hunchback merits our support;
Henceforth Lushmore shall proudly sport
A neater figure.
The fairies shouted their applause;
The hunchback guessing at the cause,
Finds himself rid of all his flaws,
A full foot bigger.

When home next day poor Lushmore comes,
He scared the ‘‘kids” in Clonmel’s slums,
Surprised the liquor men and ‘‘bums.”
His mother’s eyes
As they surveyed him straight and tall,
She crossed herself with her old shawl,
And nearly fell against the wall,
In her surprise
His neighbors all were quite uncivil;
Said Lushmore bargained with the devil,
Had sold his soul and full of evil,
Would them annoy:
But Lush his story told so plain,
They could no longer entertain
Doubts of its truth, so they exclaim:
“Long life and joy!”

And so it happened that Jack Madden,

Whose hideous hump his days did sadden,

Till later news his heart did gladden;
News of Lushmore.

Resolves to meet him face to face,

And from his lips to hear him trace

The things that in the moat took place,
And talk them o’er.

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