But, children, at midnight, When soft the winds blow; 125 When clear falls the moonlight; When spring-tides are low: When sweet airs come seaward From heaths starred with broom; And high rocks throw mildly 130 On the blanched sands a gloom: Up the still, glistening beaches, Up the creeks we will hie; Over banks of bright seaweed The ebb-tide leaves dry. 135 We will gaze, from the sand-hills, At the white, sleeping town; At the church on the hill-side-- And then come back down. Singing, ‘There dwells a loved one, 140 But cruel is she; She left lonely for ever The kings of the sea.’ _Matthew Arnold._ CCLIX _THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN._ A CHILD’S STORY. Hamelin Town’s in Brunswick, By famous Hanover city; The river Weser, deep and wide, Washes its wall on the southern side; A pleasanter spot you never spied; 5 But, when begins my ditty, Almost five hundred years ago, To see the townsfolk suffer so From vermin was a pity. Rats! 10 They fought the dogs, and killed the cats, And bit the babies in the cradles, And ate the cheeses out of the vats, And licked the soup from the cook’s own ladles, Split open the kegs of salted sprats, 15 Made nests inside men’s Sunday hats, And even spoiled the women’s chats, By drowning their speaking With shrieking and squeaking In fifty different sharps and flats. 20 At last the people in a body To the Town Hall came flocking: ‘’Tis clear,’ cried they, ‘our Mayor’s a noddy; And as for our Corporation--shocking To think we buy gowns lined with ermine 25 For dolts that can’t or won’t determine What’s best to rid us of our vermin! You hope, because you’re old and obese, To find in the furry civic robe ease? Rouse up, sirs! Give your brains a racking 30 To find the remedy we’re lacking, Or, sure as fate, we’ll send you packing!’ At this the Mayor and Corporation Quaked with a mighty consternation.