THE MARRIAGE OF SIR JOHN SMITH BY PHOEBE CARY Not a sigh was heard, nor a funeral tone, We married him just about eight at night, By the struggling moonbeam's misty light, No useless watch-chain covered his vest, But he looked like a gentleman wearing his best, Few and short were the things we said, But we silently gazed on the man that was wed, We thought, as we silently stood about, How the merest stranger had cut us out, Lightly we'll talk of the fellow that's gone, But little he'll reck if we let him live on, But our hearty task at length was done, Slowly and sadly we turned to go,— We had struggled, and we were human; We shed not a tear, and we spoke not our woe, But we left him alone with his woman. THE SPRING BEAUTIES BY HELEN AVERY CONE The Puritan Spring Beauties stood freshly clad for church; A thrush, white-breasted, o'er them sat singing on his perch. "Happy be! for fair are ye!" the gentle singer told them; But presently a buff-coat Bee came booming up to scold them. "Vanity, oh, vanity! Young maids, beware of vanity!" Half parson-like, half soldierly. The sweet-faced maidens trembled, with pretty, pinky blushes, Convinced that it was wicked to listen to the thrushes; And when that shady afternoon, I chanced that way to pass, They hung their little bonnets down and looked into the grass. All because the buff-coat Bee "Vanity, oh, vanity! Young maids, beware of vanity!" GOING UP AND COMING DOWN BY MARY F. TUCKER This is a simple song, 'tis true- I know a vast amount of stocks, I wouldn't like to warrant yours. The one whose hand is hard and brown, For he is likely to go up, And you are likely to come down. Another thing you will agree, (The truth may be as well confessed) That "Codfish Aristocracy" Is but a scaly thing at best. And Madame in her robe of lace, Both represent a goodly race, From father Adam handed down. 1 Life is uncertain-full of change; Yielding the scepter and the crown, 'Tis only for a little while, Then B. goes up and A. comes down. This world, for all of us, my friend Hath something more than pounds and pence; Then let me humbly recommend, A little use of common sense. Thus lay all pride of place aside, And have a care on whom you frown; For fear you'll see him going up, When you are only coming down. |