A milkmaid, who poized a full pail on her head,
Thus mused on her prospects in life, it is said:
"Let's see--I should think that this milk will procure
One hundred good eggs, or fourscore to be sure.
"Well then--stop a bit,--it must not be forgotten,
Some of these may be broken, and some may be rotten;
But if twenty for accidents should be detach'd,
It will leave me just sixty sound eggs to hatch'd.
"Well, sixty sound eggs--no; sound chickens, I mean;
Of these some may die--we'll suppose seventeen--
Seventeen!--not so many--say ten at the most,
Which will leave fifty chickens to boil or to roast.
"But then there's their barley; how much will they need?
Why they take but one grain at a time when they feed,
So that's a mere trifle; now then let us see,
At a fair market price, how much money there'll be?
"Six shillings a pair--five--four--three-and-six,
To prevent all mistakes, that low price I will fix;
Now what will that make? fifty chickens, I said,
Fifty times three-and-sixpence--_I'll ask brother Ned_.
"Oh! but stop--three-and-sixpence a _pair_ I must sell 'em;
Well, a pair is a couple--now then let us tell 'em;
A couple in fifty will go--(my poor brain!)
Why just a score times, and five pair will remain.
"Twenty-five pair of fowls--now how shameful it is,
That I can't reckon up as much money as this!
Well, there's no use in trying; so let's give a guess;
I will say twenty pounds, and _it can't be no less_.
"Twenty pounds, I am certain, will buy me a cow,
Thirty geese, and two turkeys--eight pigs and a sow;
Now if these turn out well, at the end of the year,
I shall fill both my pockets with guineas 'tis clear.
"Then I'll bid that old tumble-down hovel good-bye;
My mother she'll scold, and my sisters they'll cry:
But I won't care a crow's egg for all they can say;
I sha'n't go to stop with such beggars as they!"
But forgetting her burden, when this she had said,
The maid superciliously toss'd up her head
When alas! for her prospects--the milk pail descended!
And so all her schemes for the future were ended.