The Exiles

They were a merrie companie,
   Who'd dwelt together all these years;
A little mixed in type, maybe;
   Yet prone to mingle now as peers,
For old acquaintance sake; and so,
   Bewilderment about them swirled
When told, abruptly, they must go,
   From these snug shelves, back to the world.
 
Bill Sikes wept over Little Nell;
   Pickwick and Cratchit cried, "Too bad!"
Tom Pinch and Fagin said farewell;
   Uriah Heep was humbly sad,
And Nickleby and Copperfield
   Shook hands and said, "Good-bye, old man!"
And even Daniel Quilp appealed
   To gods of fiction 'gainst the ban.
 
Smike took his leave of Barney Rudge;
   Pecksniff pledged Salry one last cup;
Micawber vowed he would not budge,
   For something surely must turn up.
And something surely did; for news
   Now spreads among the exiled clan
That some old friend, with kindly views,
   Proposes to reverse the ban.

Sam Weller kisses Sally Brass;
   Alf Jingle hugs old Bumble tight;
Scrooge dances with the Vardon lass,
   And all are crazy with delight --
Again a merrie companie
   Or soon to be so, as before.
And Swiveller sighs, and says "Thanks be,
   Safe from my creditors once more!"