POETRY.

• A VILLAGE TRAGEDY (CHESHIRE).—A SEQUEL.

Um yonder ?—Dick White, do ye meaiin P- Why 'e's not abo forty year otr d !— th' trubb'e an' iorrov 'e's ieeän

_A s 'as aged 'im a that'n,1 Pm towd.

My missus 'nil tell ye the lest,

'0o2 know'd 'im w'en 'e war a boy, An' Nellie, 'at's gone to 'er rest,

W'en 'er faice wur a' sunshine an' joy.

Ye mi't 'a gone fur to 'a fon& A gradeliers feller, she'll say-

Ef ye'd 'anted a' th' parishes roan'—

Nay Dick o' that bright summer's day, We'n 'im an' sweet Nellie wur wed, An' e stud by 'er side tall an' strong ;— The prettiest couple, folks said, As 'ad becan afore th' parson fur long !

Parson's wife thowt a power o' An' co'd 'ad a fine breakfast prepared Up at th' Rectory, so I've 'eered tell ;— Naytber trubble nur munny war spared ;

An' they'd drunk to the bridegroom an' bride, "Long life" to 'em both, an' "good luck," An' Dick 'e stud up an' replied,—

But stopped short,—same as ef 'e war struck ; Fur 'e see'd as all faiices wur turn't Tow'rt Nellie,—'oo set theer as white As a corpse, an' er eyes, they jos' burnt Like a fire, so glitt'rin' an' bright.

" Wot's fear't ye, my lassie ?" 'e said, An' follered 'er.eyes as 'e spoke ; But 'oo 'eered 'im no more nur the dead, Starin' dazed like an' skeered, as theer broke Through the folks as wur stannin' aronn', A mon—or a ghost—an' stud still, Right facin"er,—then wi' a sonn' 'rwie a groan an' a laff, 'arsh an' shrill, 'E wur gone like a flash through the dur, While Nellie spoke niver a word, But fell on 'er faace npo' th' flur, Saiime as ef 'oo'd bin pierced wi' a sword !

• • • • • • Theer !—I'm soft now ! Aye, sure —'oo wur dead,— 'Oo mur niver to ca' very strong; T'evur the shock as 'ad done it, they said, But Dick wouldna believe it fur long ; 'E threw 'isself down by 'er side, So Liz—that's my missus—'ull say, An' ca'd 'er 'is " wife " an' is "bride," Till th' parson's wife got 'im away.

'E shut 'isself up all alone, In 'is farm upo' th' brew' theer, I'm towd, Seemed like as 'e'd turn't to a stone,— In a year 'e wur feeble and bow'd.

My missus 'all cry like a child, W'en she sees 'im go by i' the street ; 'Oo says 'e's skeerce spoken nur smiled Sin' Nell died,—ate I doubtna she's red..'

Wot ?—'im ?—t'other chap, do ye meaiin ?— 'Im an' Nellie wur' sweet once, they say, An' a quarrel, or some'at, 'ad beean The cause of 'is goin' away.

'E nicer wur 'eered on agen Sin' that day.—'E war not o' this part, An' I canna imagine mysen, 'Ow 'oo cum fur to gin 'im 'er 'cart!

It seems as the rights o' the caiise, Folks niver cud fairly cum at ;

In that way. 2 Often used for "she," but both words are used indifferently. 3 Better, more rr spectab'e. 4 Brow, or bill. 6 The letter i is often, but not always, proncunced like double c in words o this sort.

Theer war a' warts o' talk i' the plaice. Abaout weddin' fur munny an' that ; But Lizzie, 'oo said from the fast, They wur' doin' poor Nellie a wrong ; T'wur a mystery, sure, but 'oo'd trust— Eh !—theer she be, comin' along !

'Oo's better at tellin'—a sect',—

Far 'oo know'd a'—wot ?—canna ye stay P- I thowt ye mi't like—well,—ye're reet- It gits dark soon,—gud day, sir,—gucl day !

J. C. HENDERSON.

6 Sight.