by,--
Just as lovely a morning as ever was seen 10
For a nice little trip in a flying machine.

Thought cunning Darius: "Now I shan't go
Along 'ith the fellers to see the show:
I'll say I've got sich a terrible cough!
An' then, when the folks 'ave all gone off, 15
I'll have full swing
Fer to try the thing,
An' practice a little on the wing."

"Ain't goin' to see the celebration?"
Says brother Nate. "No; botheration! 20
I've got sich a cold--a toothache--I--
My gracious!--feel's though I should fly!"
Said Jotham, "'Sho!
Guess ye better go."
But Darius said, "No! 25
Shouldn't wonder 'f you might see me, though,
'Long 'bout noon, if I get red
O' this jumpin', thumpin' pain 'n my head."
For all the while to himself he said:
"I tell ye what!
I'll fly a few times around the lot,
To see how't seems, then soon's I've got
The hang o' the thing, ez likely's not,
I'll astonish the nation, 5
An' all creation,
By flyin' over the celebration!
Over their heads I'll sail like an eagle;
I'll balance myself on my wings like a sea gull;
I'll dance on the chimbleys; I'll stand on the steeple; 10
I'll flop up to winders an' scare the people!
I'll light on the liberty pole an' crow;
An' I'll say to the gawpin' fools below,
'What world's this 'ere
That I've come near?' 15
Fer I'll make 'em b'lieve I'm a chap f'm the moon;
An' I'll try a race 'ith their ol' balloon!"

He crept from his bed,
And seeing the others were gone, he said:
"I'm a gittin' over the cold 'n my head." 20
And away he sped,
To open the wonderful box in the shed.

His brothers had walked but a little way,
When Jotham to Nathan chanced to say,
"What is the feller up to, hey?" 25
"Don'o',--the' 's suthin' er other to pay,
Er he wouldn't 'a' stayed to hum to-day."
Says Burke, "His toothache's all 'n his eye!
_He_ never'd miss a Fo'th o' July,
Ef he hedn't got some machine to try."