AND EAST CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORLAND NEWS. NO. 440 - Eighth Week in Quarter Registered for Transmission ABroad. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1874. PRICE 1D. =========================================== A POEM. FISH AND FLY. Sweet William, did you ever fish For trout with mimic flies ? The British nation, as you wish, Does not appear to rise. 'Tis clear you've failed to imitate The genuine insect, quite; You've taken nothing by your bait: The people would not bite. No doubt that income-tax repeal Had been a taking fly, If you had managed to conceal The naked hook thereby. But what would income-tax replace ? You did not mention that. How could you hope, in such a case, You'd even hook a flat ? The tax on income is black-mail, Laid on the payer's purse, He fears he little would avail If you imposed a worse. He thinks that there was an after-thought Which underlay your plan. You should have told it, to have caught That much defrauded man. ......Punch.