Old King Cole was a thoughtful soul,
A thoughtful soul was he! 
And he said it may be, if they all agree,
They may all disagree with me. 
I must organise routs and tournament bouts,
And open a Senate, said he;
Play the outs on the ins and the ins on the outs,
And the party that wins wins me.

So Old King Cole, constitutional soul,
(Constitutional soul was he)! 
With royal nous, a parliament house
He built for his people free. 
And they talked all day and they talked all night,
And they’d die, but they wouldn’t agree
Until black was white, and wrong was right,
And he said, “It works to a T.”

Old King Cole was a gay old soul,
A gay old soul was he! 
If he chanced to meet a maiden sweet,
He’d be sure to say “kitchi kitchi kee;”
And then if her papa, her auntie or mamma,
Should suddenly appear upon the scene,
He would put the matter straight with an office in the state
If they’d promise not to go and tell the queen.

Old Queen Cole was a dear old soul,
A dear old soul was she! 
Her hair was as red as a rose—­’tis said—­
Her eyes were as green as a pea;
At beck and call for rout and ball,
She won the world’s huzzahs. 
At fetes and plays and matinees
Receptions and bazaars.

When Old King Cole, with his pipe and bowl,
At a smoking concert presided,
His queen would be at a five-o’clock tea,
At the palace where she resided;
And so they governed, ruled, and reigned,
O’er subjects great and small,
And never was heard a seditious word
In castle, cot, or hall.

THE GREEN DOMINO.

In the latter part of the reign of Louis XV. of France the masquerade was an entertainment in high estimation, and was often given, at an immense cost, on court days, and such occasions of rejoicing.  As persons of all ranks might gain admission to these spectacles, provided they could afford the purchase of the ticket, very strange rencontres frequently took place at them, and exhibitions almost as curious, in the way of disguise or assumption of character.  But perhaps the most whimsical among the genuine surprises recorded at any of these spectacles was that which occurred in Paris on the 15th of October, on the day when the Dauphin (son of Louis XV.) attained the age of one-and-twenty.

At this fete, which was of a peculiarly glittering character—­so much so, that the details of it are given at great length by the historians of the day—­the strange demeanour of a man in a green domino, early in the evening, excited attention.  This mask, who showed nothing remarkable as to figure—­though tall, rather, and of robust proportion—­seemed to be gifted with an appetite, not merely past human conception, but passing the fancies of even romance.

The dragon of old, who churches ate
(He used to come on a Sunday),
Whole congregations were to him
But a dish of Salmagundi,—­