Brer Fox he boast, and Brer Fox he bounce, But Ole Man Crow heft his weight to an ounce. "Wat, tote me round der Orange-grove?" Sez Ole Man Crow, sezee; "Tooby sho dat's kyind, but I radder not rove Wer der oranges are flyin' kinder free; Wer One-eyed RILEY en Slipshot SAM Sorter lam one ernudder ker-blunk, ker-blam! Tree stan' high, but honey mighty sweet-- Watch dem bees wid stingers on der feet! Make a bow ter de Buzzard, en den ter de Crow, Takes a limber-toe'd gemman for ter jump Jim Crow!" Den Brer Fox snortle en Brer Fox frown. Sezee, "You're settin dar sorter keerless-like," sezee. "But yer better come down, Der is foes a broozin' roun' W'at will give yer wus den butter in der North Countree. You'll get mixed wid der Tar-Baby ef inter der North yo' pitch, For der North ain't gwinter cave in, radder die in der las' ditch!" Den Ole Man Crow up en sez, sezee, "You been runnin' roun' a long time, en a-sassin' atter me; But I speck you done come to de end er de row. You wun't frighten me not wuth a cent.," sez Ole Man Crow. "I ain't gwine nowhere skasely; I'll be busy near dis rail. You wun't tempt me wid de butter--or der powder--on yo' tail. Good-bye, Brer Fox, take keer yo' cloze, For dis is de way de worril goes; Some goes up en some goes down. _You_'ll get ter de bottom all safe en soun'! I'll watch yo' 'strategy' wid int'rest, now en den, En--well, I'll try ter _look_, des as _frightened_ as I ken!" * * * * * The House of Lords Committee of Privileges decided that Captain FORESTER's action in the Barnard Peerage case was a Vane attempt. "The chance," said the _Times_, "of such a prize as Raby Castle, with £60,000 a-year, is likely to tempt a man to think his arguments and claims are better than they really are." Raby Castle on the brain would soon become a sort of Rabies. * * * * * HAMLET IN HALF AN HOUR. (_PREPARED FOR THE HALLS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SUGGESTIONS OF MR. PLUNKET'S COMMITTEE._) SCENE--_An open space outside Elsinore. View of the Palace and the Battlements. HAMLET discovered talking to the Ghost._ _Ham._ And is it really within thy power to show me illustrations to the story that has so much interested me? _Ghost._ It is! Behold! [_He waves his bâton and a rock becomes transparent, displaying a tableau of the play-scene in "Hamlet."_] _Ham._ Ah, how well do I remember the occasion! It was after I had met thee, and thou hadst told me the sad story of thy decease by my Uncle. And then I contrived this device to catch the conscience of the King! Thou art sleeping calmly, and a cloaked figure is pouring poison--real poison--into thy ear! and look, the King is greatly disturbed! Ah, how it all comes back to me! (_The rock resumes its normal condition._) And canst thou show me more? _Ghost._ Ay, and I will! Behold!