WIDDERSHINS.


A DROLL.

Once upon a time there was a small farmer living in Wendron parish,
not far from the church-town. 'Thaniel Teague was his name.
This Teague happened to walk into Helston on a Furry-day, when the
Mayor and townspeople dance through the streets to the Furry-tune.
In the evening there was a grand ball given at the Angel Hotel, and
the landlord very kindly allowed Teague--who had stopped too late as
it was--to look in through the door and watch the gentry dance the
Lancers.

Teague thought he had never seen anything so heavenly. What with one
hindrance and another 'twas past midnight before he reached home, and
then nothing would do for him but he must have his wife and six
children out upon the floor in their night-clothes, practising the
Grand Chain while he sang--

Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I'll raise!

The seventh child, the babby, they set down in the middle of the
floor, like a nine-pin. And the worst of it was, the poor mite
twisted his eyes so, trying to follow his mammy round and round, that
he grew up with a cast from that hour.

'Tis of this child--Joby he was called--that I am going to tell you.