The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1870-03-10
SELECT POETRY.
Tho Merchant of Venice.
a TTAvEsTfB.

There lived in Venice famed of old for
streets laid out in water,
A cringing. stony hearted jew, who had an
only daughter.
Called Shylock was this noted jew, by rca-
son OF his pate,
Ills daughters name was Jessica. he loved
her ra. sing well.
But whether more than "monish" It's hard
FOR us to tell
Close by there dwelt Antonia. a merchant
famed and rich,
Who irnffickcd upon the seas in mcrchan-
disc and "sich =
lie had friend Bassanio, with brains but
'nary red"
And he was "spoony" on q gal and much
inclined to we'd.
Miss Poriia the damsc's name, whose dad
her choice to battle.
Put up her fortune and her hand Ia a sort
of modern rattle
To win the prize Bassanio was bound to
risk his all,
put when be care to count tho cost his
bank account was small.
Straight to Anionia be goes to raise little
'iin:"
Yet he. though rich. was rather short, for
his ship had not got in.
ouoih the Venetian, let us lie siraightway
unto the Jew
Shylock will lend upon my bond enough
for me and you.
"Three thousand duca,s." quolh the jew.
.ish large sum to lend;
You blackguqrds me sometimes you know,
but now you ish nv friend
Veil, gets the monish FOR you, and thus
shall you be bound;
OF your fair flesh. il you don't pny, you
gives me shusi one pound"
SO TO the notary's forth they so, the Chris
tial and the jew;
They siga the bond tho cash is got to put
Bassanii through;
Straight TO Mis- Portals hoIe he goes in
gorgiuu. array.
woo,s tie fair maid. selects Alright, Hnl
hears his bride away
The ih,ee months passed, the bonls came
due. hut nc'cr in all tho while
Did unfortunate Antonio succeed in "strik
ing ile;"
lie did not see ship, though they'd
shipped many seas;
The wind that blew bad luck to him was n
cutting sort of breeze.
Tor Judgment now before the Duke the
several parties stand
Old Shylock. with pair OF scales and n
butcher knife in hand,
Bassanic. with his ducats, though they
came day too late.
And iItOnia. the merchant, nerycd up TO
meet his fate.
The Duke he makes pretty speech, cz-
pounding well in law.
Declares the bond is forfeit, the case with
out n flaw.
Dassauio makes wry faces, and calls him.
self a lubher;
Antonio. majestic, bids him stop his dcucel
blubbcr;
The Jew he whets his butchcr-cnifc to finish
up his grudgc,
When enters Mistress pOrtia, disguised NJ
judge.
Bellhaser j., she represents, while. to help
along the lark
Her waitinG-maid Ncrissa personihes the
clerk.
The learned judge reviews the case, decides
the jew is right,
But hopes that he'll he merciful and take
the cash at sight"
20 wise young judge ! old Shy'ock cries.
"a secoud Daniel thou
Who ever shw sum "Ia"olh hchlh such
youthful brow
III not have the Christians ducats--from
them he shall not part;
But as iis your decision, | prefer to take
his heart"
take then" the youthful Judge replies,
cake then thy cruel knife,
Cut quickly out Thy pound Of aesh, and
end this cruel strife;
But If you shed one drop of blood, Of Chris
iian blood. old jew
by all the tribes Of Israel I'll bet we'll put
you through,
No blood is thine, but simply flesh, and only
just pound
| rather think, old skinaint, that Vcnitian
law yoL We found.
Now cut away. you rascal, and be sure you
hit the thing,
For il you don't, promise you your car
cass soon shall swing"
: Ish dat the law, il dat ish so, l links |
takes the money"
''Oh, no you DON'T" says Mistress Judge,
you're late for that. my honey;
And more, for that you undertook TO settle
the Christians hash
Besides your life, the law provides that you
giveup your cash.
One half shall be Antonio's the merchant
whom you hate,
The other halt, Bassanio's, the balance o
the state.
II you conclude to hang yourself, we hope
thatyou'll not fslter,
And as you're poor, the State, I'm sure,
will furnish you halter"
Exit the jew. the curtain falls, the judge
resumes her fiounces.
Love smiles ON all the rest Of course. rs the
fifth act announces. &. W. \.
-Portidnd Transcript.