FOR CHILDREN. 195

‘« He carries weight !! he rides a race !
1 ”

’Tis for a thousand pounds !

And still, as fast as he drew near,
*Twas wonderful to view,

How in a trice the turnpike-men
Their gates wide open threw.

And now, as he went bowing down
His reeking? head full low,

The bottles twain behind his back
Were shattered at a blow.

Down ran the wine into the road,
Most piteous to be seen,

Which made his horse’s flanks to smoke
As they had basted been.

But still he seemed to carry weight,
With leathern girdle braced ;

For all might see the bottle necks
Still dangling at his waist.

Thus all through merry Islington
These gambols he did play ;

Until he came unto the Wash?
Of Edmonton so gay ;

And there he threw the wash about
On both sides of the way ;

Just like unto a trundling mop, ‘
Or a wild goose at play. ‘

1 He carries weight~an expression used in horse-racing,
when the rider carries something with him to make his weigh
on the horse equal to that of a heavier man.

3 Reeking—smoking, steaming,

° The Wash—the horse-pond, lying partly in the road.