Who's yon, that, near the waterfall, Which thunders down with headlong force, Beneath the Moon, yet shining fair, As careless as if nothing were, Sits upright on a feeding Horse? Unto his Horse, that's feeding free, Tis Johnny! Johnny! as I live. And that's the very Pony too! She hardly can sustain her fears; The roaring waterfall she hears, And cannot find her Idiot Boy. Your Pony's worth his weight in gold: And now all full in view she sees Him whom she loves, her Idiot Boy. if And Betty sees the Pony too: Why stand you thus, good Betty Foy? It is no goblin, 'tis no ghost, 'Tis he whom you so long have lost, He whom you love, your Idiot Boy. She looks again her arms are up— And fast she holds her Idiot Boy. And Johnny burrs, and laughs aloud, I cannot tell; but while he laughs, To hear again her Idiot Boy. And now she's at the Pony's tail, She kisses o'er and o'er again Him whom she loves, her Idiot Boy; She's happy here, she's happy there, Her limbs are all alive with joy. She pats the Pony, where or when "Oh! Johnny, never mind the Doctor; You've done your best, and that is all." She took the reins, when this was said, And gently turned the Pony's head From the loud waterfall. By this the stars were almost gone, Though yet their tongues were still. The Pony, Betty, and her Boy, Wind slowly through the woody dale; That hobbles up the steep rough road? Long Susan lay deep lost in thought, Both for her Messenger and Nurse; And as her mind grew worse and worse, Her body it grew better. She turned, she tossed herself in bed, On all sides doubts and terrors met her; Point after point did she discuss; And while her mind was fighting thus, Her body still grew better. "Alas! what is become of them? These fears can never be endured, I'll to the wood."-The word scarce said, Away she posts up hill and down, And to the wood at length is come, She spies her Friends, she shouts a greeting; Oh me! it is a merry meeting As ever was in Christendom. The Owls have hardly sung their last, And with the Owls began my song, For, while they all were travelling home, And, Johnny, mind you tell us true." Now Johnny all night long had heard For in the moonlight he had been From eight o'clock till five. |