More English Fairy Tales

<SPAN name="News" name='News'></SPAN> <h2>News!</h2> <br/> <p>MR. G. Ha! Steward, how are you, my old boy? How do things go on at home?</p> <p>STEWARD. Bad enough, your honour; the magpie's dead!</p> <p>MR. G. Poor mag! so he's gone. How came he to die?</p> <p>STEWARD. Over-ate himself, Sir.</p> <p>MR. G. Did he indeed? a greedy dog. Why, what did he get that he liked so well?</p> <p>STEWARD. Horseflesh; he died of eating horseflesh.</p> <p>MR. G. How came he to get so much horseflesh?</p> <p>STEWARD. All your father's horses, Sir.</p> <p>MR. G. What! are they dead too?</p> <p>STEWARD. Ay, Sir; they died of over-work.</p> <p>MR. G. And why were they over-worked?</p> <p>STEWARD. To carry water, Sir.</p> <p>MR. G. To carry water, and what were they carrying water for?</p> <p>STEWARD. Sure, Sir, to put out the fire.</p> <p>MR. G. Fire! what fire?</p> <p>STEWARD. Your father's house is burned down to the ground.</p> <p>MR. G. My father's house burnt down! and how came it to be on fire?</p> <p>STEWARD. I think, Sir, it must have been the torches.</p> <p>MR G. Torches! what torches?</p> <p>STEWARD. At your mother's funeral.</p> <p>MR. G. My mother dead?</p> <p>STEWARD. Ay, poor lady, she never looked up after it.</p> <p>MR. G. After what?</p> <p>STEWARD. The loss of your father.</p> <p>MR. G. My father gone too?</p> <p>STEWARD. Yes, poor gentleman, he took to his bed as soon as he heard of it.</p> <p>MR. G. Heard of what?</p> <p>STEWARD. The bad news, an' it please your honour.</p> <p>MR. G. What? more miseries, more bad news!</p> <p>STEWARD. Yes, Sir, your bank has failed, your credit is lost and you're not worth a shilling in the world. I make bold, Sir, to come and wait on you about it; for I thought you would like to hear the news.</p> <hr style='width: 65%;' /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />