The bashful earthquake & other fables and verses . to write a tender rhyme To Phyllis or to Mabel,And chose in this retired cafe The most secluded came before I d time to fly, And ere I could refuse,55 Had filled the very chair that IWas keeping for the muse ! Then came the deluge — down it cameIn one unceasing pour — Of science, crops, photography,E-eligion, soups, and war. — Forsooth the flood of words that flows From this secluded tableWill soon be great enough to swamp A dozen towers of — And still he stays, and still the flood Is rising as before;3 — The world is
The bashful earthquake & other fables and verses . to write a tender rhyme To Phyllis or to Mabel,And chose in this retired cafe The most secluded came before I d time to fly, And ere I could refuse,55 Had filled the very chair that IWas keeping for the muse ! Then came the deluge — down it cameIn one unceasing pour — Of science, crops, photography,E-eligion, soups, and war. — Forsooth the flood of words that flows From this secluded tableWill soon be great enough to swamp A dozen towers of — And still he stays, and still the flood Is rising as before;3 — The world is now a sea of — Without a sign of shore. Great Scott! Hes going! ^ No, must you go ? DonH tear yourself away !What have I written? Oh, some trash — A sort of Fairy-lay,Of how a dreadful ogre Caught a luckless youth one day,And drowned him in a flood of — well, If you must go — good day ! 56 ENVOY. Phi/llis — or Mabel! j^ray forgive - I had to pay Mtti out;IHl write that tender rhyme to you Some other day, no doubt. 57. THE LEGEND OF THE LILY. Once a Tiger for a freak,Fell in love With a Lily, pure and meekAnd as timid, white, and weak As a withal a wee bit chilly, ^Just enough the Tigers sillyPride to By and by the Lily cold, Felt the charm; Learned, tho dreadful to the Tiger, fierce and bold. Meant no she smiled upon him at length the Tiger wily Was consoled. So in time the Beauty grew To adoreThe Royal Beast who came to him for his golden hue — For his roar ;All for him with blushes burning,To a Tiger-lily turning. Golden too. But alas, the luckless Lily Loved in vain;For a painted daffodillyCame between them, and the Lily, Pale with a dark pool, drooped and herself, and rose a shining Water-lily. 59
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