Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-10-12
rFfom the Token for 1884.
THE PLAGUE IN THE FOREST:

Their murd 'rous weapons all res'gn'd,
And vow'd each other not 10 Stay.
Among them Reynard thrust his phiz,
Nor h0of, nor morn, nor tusk, was his
For warfare all unfit;
He whispered 10 the royal Ounce,
And gained q settlement at onee3
His weapon was-his WIT.
One summer, by some fatal spell,
(Phebus was pesvish tor some scoff.)
The plague upon that city Tell,
Aud swept the beasts By thousands OF.
The lion, as became his part,
Loved his dear people from his hea:t,
And, taking counsel sage,
His peerage summoned, TO devise
And offer up sacrifice,
To soothe Apollo's rage.
Ouoth lion, We are sinners all;
And even, il must be c0mfrss'd,
If among sheep chance to fall
l. |. ain guilty as the rest.
To me the sight Of lamb is curst.
IL k,ndles in my throat thirst!
| struggle to refrain.
Poor innocent! his blood so sweet!
HIS flesh SO delicate TO eat!
find resistance vain.
Now, to be candid, Inust own.
The sheep are weak, and am strong
But when we find ourselves alone,
The sheep have never done me wrong.
And, since | purpose to reveal
All nv offences, nor conceal
One trespass from your view;
Nv appetite is made SO keen.
That with the sheep. the time has been,
I took-the shepherd too.
Then let Us all our sins confess,
And whuse soccer the blacklist guilt,
To ease my peoples deep distress,
Let his atoning blood be split.
NV own confession now YOU hear
Should one of deeper dye appear,
Your sentence freely give:
And If Oh me should TALL the lot,
Make me the victim on the spot;
Aud let my people live
The council With app'auses rung,
To her the Cudrus OF the wood;
Trough still some doubt suspended hung,
If he would make his promise good
Ouo,h Reward. .since the world was made,
Was ever love like this dl'payedf
Let US. Ike subjects true,
Swear, as before your feet We fall,
Sooner than sou should die for all,
We all will die for YOU.
but. please your majesty, deem,
Submissive to your royal grace,
You hold in far TOO high esteem
That pa''ry, poltroon, sheepish race;
For oft rejecting IN the shade.
| ask myself why sheep were made
Bv all-creating o0wer3
And how soccer tax my mind.
Thi., the sole reason can ind
For lions to deVour.
and as for eating. now and then,
As well the shepherd as the sheep;
How can that brassart breed OF men
Expect with YOU the peace to keep!
'Tis time their clustering boast 10 stem,
That all the world was made for them,
Aud prove creations plan;
Teach them by evidence pfoiuse,
That man Was made for lions use,
No, lion made tor man.
And now the noble peers begin;
And. cheer'd with such example bright,
Disclosing each his secret sta.
Some mldngh, murder brought to light.
Reward WAS COUNSEL for them all;
No crime the assembly could appalj
But he could botch with pant;
Hark! a. his honied accents roll,
Each tiger is a gentle soul;
Each blood hound Is saint.
When each had told his tale in turn,
The long card beast Of burden came,
And meekly SAID Ny bowels yarn
To make contession Of my shame;
But remember On time,
| pass'd, pot thinking Of crime,
A hay stack on my way:
His lure. some tempting devil spread
I stretched across the fence nv head,
And eropp'd-a lock Of hay
oh, monster! vilIain!' Reynarsi cried
No longer seek the victim. sire;
Nor ~hy your subjects thus have died,
To eipiate Apollo'sire.
The council, with one voice, decreedj
All ioip'd to execrate the deed