Next moment Lea fell; cried the judge, looking grim, “Poor fellow, fought bravely, the fault’s not in him, ’Tis cursed ill-luck!” For he saw by his face, Scarred and cut, and white lips, he was out of the race, And carried him off to the shade of the tent And came back to criticise us as we went. So we were left treadling, Wheeler and I, To spin for the prizes――no cloud in the sky; The broad sun above shed its pitiless shine, Down my face rolled the sweat and stung me like brine; Then loudly the judge, coming near as we passed, Said, “Go it, my hearties, this lap is the last!” How they shouted! and all in a moment a spurt Gave him an inch lead――but he found me alert, And then was my stamina put to its test: He and I fought the battle, and onlooked the rest, With his head near the wheel, and his teeth firmly set, He still kept my side and no farther could get. Then I called up my energies; loud was the cry That came from the thousands of spectators nigh; Gripped firmly the handles, the grasp of grim death, And steadied the pedals, then took a deep breath, Clenched my teeth, gained a yard, as we flew down the track, Till the shouts told me plainly I’d beaten the “crack.” And all I remember, is friends flocking round, Who bore us both shoulder high then off the ground, And the club all _en masse_ cheered this record of mine, And my health was the pretext for bumpers of wine. And the fellows all voted three cheers from the field, For the victor and vanquished, who fought for the shield. W. H. SMITH. _The Wheeling Annual._ 1885 ――――:o:―――― THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN. This poem is given in full in _The Comic Poets of the Nineteenth Century_, published by Routledge & Sons, London. It has been the subject of several political parodies, one of the best being that which appeared in Punch, May 1, 1880, entitled “The Bagpiper of Midlothian.” This described how the Liberals in Midlothian despaired of their cause, and the Tories were jubilant, when suddenly _Wandering Willie_ the Piper appeared.