Luck

The old dame tho not in laughing mood
 
For on that night at one fell sweeping stroke 
Mischeveous cat that at a mouse had struck 
Trip on the self her best blue china broke
 
Yet spit[e] of fate is tickeled at the joke 

She laughs untill here very sides did ache 
& some so tittled [that] they could not smoke 
Laid down their pipes lest they should brake 
& laughed & laughed agen until their ribs did ache 


(Unpublished)
Written on the back of a newspaper label dated Jun 1st 1823 (PO stamp) 

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