"In two immense bundles her clothing was placed, With two foreign sashes to tie round the waist; Two long fur robes-these would fetch a good price; Three large iron pans-each would cook seven men's rice; A scouring-brush, stiffer and better than cloth; A cullender, also, to strain off the broth. "Two tables, four stools, four chairs, and a chest ; A fine troupe of players-in fact, the élite "'Twas my special duty to look after these, 66 My first wife, on her death-bed, committed to my care A boy and girl-our children—and also made me swear That I would guard them from all harm; I took a solemn oath To do so-but my second wife, alas! detested both. 66 Returning home one day, I found the children had been beat, She was raging like a fiend, they cowering at her feet; "With a bludgeon she took the watch-dog's life, "She burnt the ten catties of cotton yarn, And the thread she had brought to sew and darn; "By means of a chopper with skill applied, And as for the ten lumps of white sycee, "The bundles in which all her clothing was placed, She burnt, with the sashes to tie round the waist. Her two fur robes she tore up in a trice; Smashed the three pans that each would cook seven men's rice. "The brush and the cullender next my wife seized, And burnt. Still her anger was far from appeased,— She chopped up the tables, the stools, and the chairs, And the chest, too, soon needed some trifling repairs. "She tore into rags the undressed calico, And shivered the click-clacking loom with one blow; The coverlets burnt in a heap on the floor, And tore into tatters the screens for the door. Neck and crop out of doors the players she turned, And the whole of their wardrobe, &c. burned. 66 Having vented her rage in this horrible style, She smiled on her work a demoniac smile; And while I stood there contemplating the wreck, She ran off, and hung herself up by the neck. "I wrote to her friends of her felo-de-se. They came, and of course, laid the blame upon me; Then rushed off at once to the magistrate's court, And made of the case a most awful report. "I bribed right and left-the magistrate first; He was bad, I admit, but he wasn't the worst ; His lictors and runners, and writers—what not— Soon managed to fleece me of all that I'd got. "Fields, gardens, and orchards-in short, my estate All went—my two carriages shared the same fate; My three mules, my donkey, pigs, fowls, ducks and geese, I sold, in the hope their proceeds would buy peace. ""Twas settled at last, but I found, to my cost, In gaining the case, I'd my property lost; Worse still, my poor children both sickened and died. I think, sir, you'll own that I've been sorely tried. The cause of my grief and distress you now know; Sir, have I not reason to give way to woe ?" I told him he had-" what else could I say ?" gave him a trifle and went on my way. So I MORAL. A word of advice—it's short, but it's true— THE WATER TEST.* Quicker-more quick, Faster still twirls the stick 'Gainst the sides of the kang† with an ominous click. Don't pause, 'tis much best Not to let the stick rest, For the faster 'tis twirled the truer the test. *This circumstance occurred some few years ago at a village named (Ching lung chiao), distant from Peking about twenty li in a westerly direction from the Hsi chih gate, . The husband is still living. + A large earthenware water vessel. |