│25│in the │ │ ♌ ♂ ♓ ♄ ☊ │ │ │ │ │ │ │26│fire │ │ exercise │ │ │ │ │ │ │27│soot │ │ │ │ │ │ │ their own │ │28│must │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │29│splash │ │ judgments │ │ │ │ │ │ │30│crash │ │ ♂ ☽ ♊ ☿ │ │ │ │ │ │ │31│ash │ │ thereupon. │ └──┴──────────┴──────────────────────────────────────────┴────────────┘ MY GRANDMOTHER'S LAMENT; or, THE SETTLING DAY. It was a drear November morn; the rain was pouring fast; I underneath a gateway stood, in hopes it would not last; And forthwith I began to muse, and to myself did say: I hope the rain will soon give o'er, for this is "SETTLING DAY." If I don't stand for shelter here, I shall be wetted thro'; I at the Stock Exchange shall be _black-boarded_ if I do: And while I thus was fidgetting, the sun shot forth a ray; And then I hoped to be in time all for the "SETTLING DAY." The rain clear'd off, and gladsomely I did prepare to go, When up there came an Ancient Dame with visage full of woe: She laid on me her skinny hand, and mournfully did say: "To my lament you must give ear, altho' 'tis 'SETTLING DAY.'" "Good lady," I began to say, "my time is very short,"— And fain I would have slipp'd away, but she my button caught. "Oh! listen to your Grandmother! for she has much to say,"— (She surely held me by some spell, although 'twas "SETTLING DAY.") "From morn till eve I wander forth; I roam like one distraught; "Which ever way I turn my eyes, with ruin it is fraught. "The good old times are quite forgot; all things do fade away; "And when I mourn, the people laugh, and cry: ''tis SETTLING DAY.' "'Twas in the Court of Chancery I oft did take my nap; "And many doubting Chancellors I've dandled in my lap; "But now the _Broom_, that sweeps the room, it brushes me away; "And says, for me, and all such crones, it is the 'SETTLING DAY.' "'Twas in the Commons House I sat, when Billy Pitt was young; "I listen'd to his twelve-hour speech, and blest his fluent tongue. "They us'd to sit from night till morn; and how they talk'd away! "But now they sit from morn till night: oh! what a 'SETTLING DAY!'