Punch (99.1890)

258 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [November 29, 189C.

BANK HOLIDAY WIT.

Mamma. 'Come along, Darlings!" 'Arry. "All bight, Miss I Just wait till we've 'ad a Drink I "

THE PARLIAMENTARY "ANCIENT MARINER."

(Fragments from the Latest Rendering of the Old Rime.)

An Ancient Mariner]! It is an ancient Mariner,

meeteth Three Guests And he stoppeth one of three.

bidden to St. Stephen's "By thv scant grey looks and glittering eye

and detaineth one.,, j$ow therefore atopp'st thou me?"

"i|St. Stephen's doors are open wide,
My duty lies within;
M.P.'s are met, the programme's set,
May'st hear the Irish din."

He holds him with his sinewy hand,
" There was a ship," quoth he.
" Hold off! unhand me, Ancient One ! "
Eftsoons his hand dropt he.

St. Stephen's Guest is He holds him with his glittering'eye—
spell-boundI by the eye of St> Stephen's Guest stands still,
t ,e Grand Old Seafaring And Hatena l^g Midlothian's moh.
hear Ms ta?e The Mariner hath his will.

St. Stephen's Guest stands like a stone-.

He cannot chuse but hear;

And thus outspeaks that ancient man,

The bright-eyed Mariner.

Oar ship was cheered, the harbour cleared

Merrily did we drop

Below the Kirk, Tory ill-will

Oar vessel might not stop.

The Mariner tells how his Tte gun aroge that erst had lef t

new-launched Craft, after 0ur Home-Rule argosy,

some adverse gales, sailed Y ~j ^ ^ {. ■ Vs. 3' ■ i.

northward, with a'good £?d he shone bright, our course was right,

wind, and fair weather. TW flowing tide ran free.

Higher and higher every day

Oaf sun Bhone bright and clear—

St. Stephen's Guest here beat his breast,

For he heard the loud " Hear! Hear ! "

St. Stephen's Guest hear- The Speakee hath paced into the House,

eth that business is toward Toward his lofty place ;

within ; but the meno- Gleaming like gold before him goes

loguismg Mariner The merry, massive Mace.

coutinueth his tale. • L. . , „ , , , . , . ,

St. Stephen's Guest he beat his breast,

Yet he could not chuse but hear ;

And thus spake on that ancient man,

The garrulous Mariner.

[But behold the tale that was told unto St. Stephen's Guest by the
Ancient Mariner is now known unto all men, from repeated and prolix narra-
tions ; the tale to wit of the Mariner's startling adventure in unsailed seas
on board his suddenly launched Some Rule Argo; how that the Ancient
Mariner shot the Oof Bird (that made the (financial) mare to go, and the
(party) breeze to blow); how that his shipmates cried out against the
Ancient Mariner for killing the bird of good luck, which lay the golden eggs,
but how, when the fog cleared oil', they justified the same, and thus made
themselves accomplices in the act; how " the spell began to break;" how " the
Mariner hath been cast into a trance, and the angelic power" (of speech)
"causeth the vessel to drive northward faster than " (ordinary) human " life
could endure"; how in the Mariner's opinion the Some Rule Argo yet
"ttoppeth the way," and until it hath free course must impede the fair
navigation of the (political) ocean; and how, finally, he, the Ancient Mariner,
is constrained to "pop up " and repeat this tale of change and chance unto

the appointed persons.]
• *

Forthwith _ this tongue of mine

was stirred
To quenchless fluency, [tale,
Which forced me to begin my
As now I tell it thee.

Since then, at an uncertain hour,
This ecstasy returns ; [through
And till my thrice-told tale is
The heart within me burns.

I pass, like Puck, from land to
land,

I have strange power of speech;

That moment that his face I see
I know the man that mast hear
me,

To him my tale I teach. '■
* * * »

What loud uproar bursts from

that door 1
They 're at it hotly there:
Will they be silenced by the

tale

Told by the Mariner ?

Bim! Boom! There goes Big

Ben's deep bell!
The Speakeb's in the Chair!