But Eversfield place and also Grand parade,
With handsome Belgravia- all spic and span;
They are but mere trifles St. Leonards has made,
But which she refuses the poor Hastings man.
There's your neat railway station just down Gensing Vale,
And there's one at Bopeep, of a pretty good span;
As they're useless to you, I do hope you won't fail
To give them both up to the good Hastings man.
There's St. Leonards "Mechanics" in Norman-road West,
There's another in Hastings;' twere much better than
Division so great, were they both to be blest,
In the kindly embrace of the dear Hastings man.
Why wish the retention of National schools?
Why in your own dogmas the youngsters trepan?
Would you see them grow up something better than fools,
Then pass them to Hastings - that erudite man.
There's your office for letters down by the Hotel,
To which very often quite late you all ran,
With missives important; yet sure its as well
To go a good mile to our dear Hastings man.
When post-office orders are sought in a hurry
By tradesman or servant, or meek artizan,
'Twould save a great deal of the fluster and flurry
To slowly walk o'er to the said Hastings man.
Our good man - Old Hastings - has wisely found out,
That one postal office is better than two;
And you of St. Leonards have no right to doubt,
That such can be else than most certainly true.
But true or not true, you've no right to have voice
To argue the point, nor demur to the plan
Of yielding possession sans option of choice
The things that are yours to the dear Hastings man.
His demands are so few, and his claim is so just,
That all of my friends and my wife, Mary Ann,
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