Two other parodies of _John Gilpin_ may be mentioned, one which appeared in “_The Yorkshireman_” for August 1876, entitled _The Connaught Rangers_, and commencing: Bold Sutcliffe was a citizen Of credit and renown, A Bowling dyer eke was he And Mayor of Bradford town. The other appeared in “_The Idel News_” in August 1878, and commenced thus:―― PADDY AND THE MORMON. _An Episode of Idel Green, Yorks._ Childe Evins was a citizen Of credit and renown, A Mormon Elder too was he Of famous Utah town. His latest wife said in his ear―― “Though wedded we have been These twelve long tedious months yet we No holiday have seen. To-morrow is our wedding day, And we will then prepare To take a voyage o’er the sea, To greet the old folks there. Sall, Ruth, and Ann, and Tabitha, Thy other wives, shall stay To nurse their bairns, and keep the home The time we are away. * * * * * The latter parody was written by Mr. J. Horsfall Turner, unfortunately both poems are very long, and of only local interest. ――――:o:―――― THE ROSE. The Rose had been washed, just washed in a shower, Which Mary to Anna conveyed; The plentiful moisture encumbered the flower, And weighed down its beautiful head. The cup was all filled, and the leaves were all wet And it seemed, to a fanciful view, To weep for the buds it had left with regret On the flourishing bush where it grew. I hastily seized it, unfit as it was For a nosegay, so dripping and drowned; And swinging it rudely, too rudely, alas! I snapped it――it fell to the ground! And such, I exclaimed, is the pitiless part Some act by the delicate mind; Regardless of wringing and breaking a heart Already to sorrow resigned. This elegant rose, had I shaken it less, Might have bloomed with its owner awhile; And the tear that is wiped with a little address, May be followed perhaps by a smile. WILLIAM COWPER. ―――― Mr. Frederick Locker-Lampson, author of _London Lyrics_, has in his possession the first draft of William Cowper’s poem of _The Rose_, in the poet’s autograph. It is interesting, as it shows how much he altered and improved his poems:―― “The Rose that I sing had been bathed in a show’r, Profusely and hastily shed, The plentiful moisture incumber’d the flow’r, And weigh’d down its elegant head. The cup was all fill’d, and the leaves were all wet, And it seem’d to a fanciful view To weep for the home it had left with regret In the flowery bush where it grew. Unfit as it was for the use of the Fair, With foliage so dripping and drown’d, I shook it and swung it with too little care―― I snapp’d it, it fell to the ground.