Lancaster Gazette

A NEW-HAMPSHIRE TAVERN.

Some years ago, his Rozinante striding,
A gentleman was in New-Hampshire riding.
Far to the North—He'd travelled many a league,
One day; and now with hunger, thirst, fatigue,
Almost o'ercome, with most rejoicing eyes
A Tavern sign he at a distance spies:
Approaching, on the sign these words appear;
"For man and beast best entertainment here."
Dismounting, or the hostler now he calls,
But for the hostler all in vain he bawls.
He opes the door: then sees with graces winning,
The landlady and daughter Bets a spinning.
Humming away at most enormous rate,
This on the little wheel, that on the great.
"Where is the landlord?" "He is gone away,
Clear down the lot with Joe, a mowing hay."
"Grass, madam—Have you oats?" "No, none at all,
My husband sold the whole of them last fall,
To find the house in liquors." "Corn, ma'am pray?
The last half bushel went to mill to-day."
"—Then you have meal?—" "Not any: you know
Bets,
All we've not baked has gone to pay our debts."
"Let down them bars; take out the bits, your horse
Will find as good feed, sir, as ever worz."
—This done, the traveller to the house returned,
And to allay his thirst impatient burned,
—"I'll thank you, madam, for a glass of gin
And water—" "Sir, there's not a drop within."
"Some brandy, then.—" "Sir, we have none at all;
For here for brandy people never call."
"A glass then of West-India—" "Sir, we've none."
"Well then, New-England—" "All our rum is gone."
"—Have you some cider, or some beer that's good?
"Our cider's out—we have not lately brewed."
"—I'm very thirsty: pray some water bring—"
"Bets take the gourd, and fetch some from the
spring."
Bets went—returned—"mother th' old sow, oh lud
Has made the water all as thick as mud,
By wall'ing in the spring." —The traveller now
Demands: what keep you but yourselves and sow?
"Keep," says the woman, feeling anger's spur,
"What do we keep? why, we keep Tavern, sir."
P.O.