[Illustration: 0023] How well I remember her pleasant features, The smile on her face and the light in her eye, When I've touched my hat to her, hurrying by, Many a time, on my way through the sky! I'd mend the poor thing if I could--and I'll try!" How he got it, or where, I cannot declare; But thereupon he drew up a chair. Hung his long coat-tail over the back, Sat down by the pieces and opened his pack, Brought forth from its depths a stout needle and thread, And there he sat squinting and scratching his head, As if rather doubtfully questioning whether 'Twas possible ever to patch her together! Meanwhile--but how can I hope to tell Half that to my friends befell On the shattered and scattered shell? How depict the huge surprise Of some, at the very astonishing rise Of their real estate, shot off in the skies? How describe the flying blocks, The fall of steeples and railroad stocks, The breaking of banks, and the stopping of clocks; And all the various knocks and shocks;-- Frantic reporters rushing about, And correspondents setting out In a big balloon, intending from it To interview our friend, the Comet! While the wide-awake daily press unfurled Its rival bulletins: "End of the World!! Frightful collision! America hit!!! Full particulars! Canada hurled [Illustration: 0723] Over New England! The Union split!!! In INTERRUPTION OF TRAVEL AND TRADE! The Comet coming to our aid!" For now the Comet--odd to see! Although it didn't seem odd to me-- With thimble and glue-pot, sewing and gluing The shattered globe, was cheerfully doing All he could to restore the ruin; Patiently replacing all The scattered fragments, great and small; Stitching here and sticking there, With a hopeful smile and a satisfied air, Putting the planet into repair! When all was done, with a dexterous twirl Of his fingers, he set it once more a-whirl, While the Moon looked pleased as a smiling girl. Off he sped; and the planet spun Away on its axis round the sun; When, watching with curious eyes, I found He hadn't made it precisely round! The zones, moreover, were strangely mixed: Constantinople was squeezed betwixt St. Petersburg and Baltimore; South Carolina and Labrador To Massachusetts were snugly tied; New York and Paris were side by side; And, oddest of all earthly fates, England was in the United States! Greenland (he couldn't have made a greater Mistake) was on the new equator! While in each crack of the crust some bit Of broken China was made to fit. Whereupon I cried, with a wild halloo,