The Rhode Island Republican

THE CLERICAL HOGREEVE.

It happened in a certain place,
Not overstock'd with grace,
A steady cheerful parson preach'd and pray'd,
And had his salary paid,
For forty years, but with no great effect,
Except that vice was somewhat check'd,
And virtue aided some, and piety,
For the well being of society
But still the flock. in matters of opinion,
Knew not a Calvinist, from an Arminian,
Each jogged along. and labor'd on his farm,
And thus did more good, than harm.

The forty years expir'd—so did his wife,
Whom he had wedded, in the bloom of life
And so the loss of her
Made him, of course, a widower
Feeling that 'twas "not good to be alone,"
He chose another "bone."
Ere long to grace the ministerial pew.
And round the parsonage to tew.

Now, 'tis the custom of the town,
If parson, doctor, 'squire or clown,
Gets married, at March meeting he will hear
That he's appointed hogreeve, for the year.
So fared it with our priest, so witty.
Who soon was waited on by the committee
Who told him, that the voice
Of all the town had made the above choice.

The parson smil'd and said, " I am no novice;
Full forty years I've been in the same office,
In this appointment, all that's new
Is four legg'd hogs to drive instead of two."

S.