Dame Margery Twist never greatly missed the sight of that eye; but all the same, I would give both of mine for it.

All of these things are told at Tavistock town even to this day; and if you go thither, you may hear them for yourself.

But I say again, as I said at first:  if one could
  only hold one’s tongue as to what one sees,
    one would be the better for it.

[Illustration:  Ye song of ye gossips.  This is a full page illustrated poem depicting:  the three old maids gossiping at a table, the two old maids gossiping as the other leaves, and the last old maid sitting alone.]

YE SONG OF YE GOSSIPS

1

One old maid,
And another old maid,
And another old maid—­that’s three—­
And they were agossiping, I am afraid,
As they sat sipping their tea.

2

They talked of this,
And they talked of that,
In the usual gossiping way
Until everybody was black as your hat,
And the only ones white were they.

3

One old maid,
And another old maid,—­
For the third had gone into the street—­
Who talked in a way of that third old maid,
Which never would do to repeat.

4

And now but one
Dame sat all alone,
For the others were both away. 
“I’ve never yet met,” said she, with a groan,
“Such scandalous talkers as they.”

5

“Alas! and alack!”
“We’re all of a pack! 
For no matter how we walk,
Or what folk say to our face, our back
Is sure to breed gossip and talk.”

H. PYLE

[Illustration:  A victim to Science.  This is a full page illustrated poem depicting the two physicians walking, the two finding the crow, and the crow feet up on the path as they continue to argue.]

A VICTIM TO SCIENCE

Th’re were two wise physicians once, of glory and renown,
Who went to take a little walk nigh famous Concord town. 
Oh! very, very great and wise and learned men were they,
And wise and learned was th’r talk, as they walked on th’r way. 
And as they walked and talked and talked, they came to wh’re they found
A Crow as black as any hat, a-sitting on ye ground. 
Ye Crow was very, very sick, as you may quickly see
By just looking at ye picture th’t is drawn h’re by me. 
Now wh’n ye doctors came to him they mended of th’r pace,
And said one unto ye other, “H’re’s an interesting case,
A case th’t sh’ld be treated, and be treated speedily. 
I have—­yes, here it is—­a pill th’t has been made by me. 
Now, I have had occasion—­” Said ye other, “In most cases
Your pills are excellently good, but h’re, my friend, are traces
Of a lassitude, a languor, th’t your pills c’ld hardly aid;
In short, they’re rather violent for th’s,