11 NOVEMBER 1899, Page 15

POETRY.

JOHN'S WAY.

3. BULL hes got his faults, maybe; There's furrin chaps es good es he, An' some thet's wuss, 'twixt you an' mei, Whatever folk may say ; He's glad tu tread a peaceful track Till others hits him fnet, ker-smack I An' then he'll turn tu hit 'em back, Per thet's John's way !

Et's true he likes tu strut aroun' An' go paradin' up an' down With all the rabble in the town A-shoutin' out " Hooray !" He'll boast afore a fight is won, But, when the little job's begun, He don't leave of until it's done, Per thet's john's way 1 "I know thet l'm a man of worth," Ses John, "nt.' great an' good by birth; I'll lick the biggest foe on earth Es dares me tu the fray ! "

Such blusterin' mayn't be highly-bred, But, all the same, be goes ahead Au' does exactly what he said, Per thet's John's way!

John hes a foolish trait or so,

He's vain, he's noisy, yet we know He hes a lion heart, although He tries so bard ter bray ; There's some, they're foolish critters too, Tbet brags nv what they dursn't do ;

J. B.—be meks his boasts come true,

Per thet's John's way !

An', after all, he might be wuss.

He ain't a vicious kind uv cuss, But ruther like the rest nv us, A mixter—gold an' clay ; He hates his foe, like wusser men, An' knocks him flat, b'gosh !— but then He'll help him to his feet agen, Per thet's John's way !.

It's jest his way—he can't be got Ter fight till he hes talked a lot Of all he's done afore, an' what He's goin' ter do to-day ; But when he's took his coat off—my!

Yer can't prevent him ef yer try, He'll do the business thoroughly,

Per thet's John's way ! FrOSEA, JUN.