From her boudoir in the alders But the maples they should shield us And the girl should do the driving, Unless he's neglectful of what's quite respectful Ah! sweet the hours of springtime, When the heart inclines to woo, And it's deemed all right for the callow wight To do what he wants to do; But cruel the age of winter, When the way of the world says no To the hoary men who would woo again In Lover's Lane, Saint Jo! In the Union Bank of London Which I'm like to spend, ere the month shall end, In an antiquarian store; But I'd give it all, and gladly, If for an hour or so I could feel the grace of a distant place, Of Lover's Lane, Saint Jo. Let us sit awhile, beloved, And dream of the good old days,— CRUMPETS AND TEA With your head upon my shoulder, CRUMPETS AND TEA THERE are happenings in life that are destined to rise The Sabbath-day luncheon that's spread for us three,- There are cynics who say with invidious zest To toast crumpets quite à la mode, I require A hand-organ grinds in the street a weird bit,- 77 The Sabbath-day luncheon whereof I now speak But soon-ah! too soon- -I must bid a farewell And the other twin friendships of crumpets and tea. Yet often, ay, ever, before my wan eyes AN IMITATION OF DR. WATTS THROUGH all my life the poor shall find And on the meek of every kind The dumb shall never call on me In vain for kindly aid; And in my hands the blind shall see A bounteous alms displayed. THE TEA-GOWN In all their walks the lame shall know "T is by such pious works as these, Which I delight to do, That men their fellow-creatures please, And please their Maker too. 79 THE TEA-GOWN My lady has a tea-gown That is wondrous fair to see, It is flounced and ruffed and plaited and puffed, As a tea-gown ought to be; And I thought she must be jesting Last night at supper when She remarked, by chance, that it came from France, And had cost but two pounds ten. Had she told me fifty shillings, I might (and would n't you?) Have referred to that dress in a way folks express By an eloquent dash or two; But the guileful little creature Knew well her tactics when She casually said that that dream in red Had cost but two pounds ten. Yet our home is all the brighter For that dainty, sentient thing, That floats away where it properly may, And I count myself the luckiest Of all us married men That I have a wife whose joy in life Is a gown at two pounds ten. It is n't the gown compels me It's the pretty face above the lace, And the gentle heart within. And with her arms about me I say, and say again, ""T was wondrous cheap,"-and I think a heap Of that gown at two pounds ten! DOCTORS "T is quite the thing to say and sing My friendly pen would show him, When one's all right, he 's prone to spite But when he's sick, it's loud and quick With other things, the doctor brings Sweet babes, our hearts to soften: Though I have four, I pine for more,Good doctor, pray come often! What though he sees death and disease Patient and true, and valorous too, Such have I always found him. And death is near, his words of cheer |