 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
“IN A QUIET SORT OF WAY.”
I am very shy and modest,
And most careful what I say;
And I shrink from what is oddest,
In a quiet sort of way.
And most careful what I say;
And I shrink from what is oddest,
In a quiet sort of way.
And when I go to dinners,
Or have leisure for the play,
I but glance at pretty sinners,
In a quiet sort of way.
Or have leisure for the play,
I but glance at pretty sinners,
In a quiet sort of way.
545
To the poor I give a copper,
But I'll help not, if I may,
The nouns that are improper,
In a quiet sort of way.
But I'll help not, if I may,
The nouns that are improper,
In a quiet sort of way.
I to verbs for conjugation,
When irregular, cry nay;
And use Cocker's calculation,
In a quiet sort of way.
When irregular, cry nay;
And use Cocker's calculation,
In a quiet sort of way.
I know Maud is “sweet and twenty,”
And frail man is only clay;
And a kiss or two are plenty,
In a quiet sort of way.
And frail man is only clay;
And a kiss or two are plenty,
In a quiet sort of way.
I am rather fond of honey,
And for what I purchase pay—
At least, if I have money,
In a quiet sort of way,
And for what I purchase pay—
At least, if I have money,
In a quiet sort of way,
I am not averse to dances,
That turn darkness into day,
And to little ball romances,
In a quiet sort of way.
That turn darkness into day,
And to little ball romances,
In a quiet sort of way.
My heart is tuned to hopping,
Though my feet are somewhat splay,
And to tender questions popping,
In a quiet sort of way.
Though my feet are somewhat splay,
And to tender questions popping,
In a quiet sort of way.
I live in good Society,
And you must observe I pray,
That I worship all Propriety,
In a quiet sort of way.
And you must observe I pray,
That I worship all Propriety,
In a quiet sort of way.
I keep a careful distance
From the darlings that are gay,
If they ask for my assistance,
In a quiet sort of way.
From the darlings that are gay,
If they ask for my assistance,
In a quiet sort of way.
I am really most particular,
At visits not to stay,
When confessions grow aurioular,
In a quiet sort of way.
At visits not to stay,
When confessions grow aurioular,
In a quiet sort of way.
The correctness of my noddle,
Ought to carry off the bay
From the dearest saint and coddle,
In a quiet sort of way.
Ought to carry off the bay
From the dearest saint and coddle,
In a quiet sort of way.
My coat is ever dusted,
And defies the broadest ray,
And my aims are well adjusted,
In a quiet sort of way.
And defies the broadest ray,
And my aims are well adjusted,
In a quiet sort of way.
546
My motions are as balanced,
As a blossom is in May;
My affaires de cœur are valanced,
In a quiet sort of way.
As a blossom is in May;
My affaires de cœur are valanced,
In a quiet sort of way.
I like summer rambles nightly,
And making love and hay,
When the moon is shining brightly,
In a quiet sort of way.
And making love and hay,
When the moon is shining brightly,
In a quiet sort of way.
There are lambs with golden fleeces,
For a tender hand to flay,
Among my country nieces,
In a quiet sort of way.
For a tender hand to flay,
Among my country nieces,
In a quiet sort of way.
I like rural deans and scenery,
And a steady one-horse shay,
And the girls that peep from greenery,
In a quiet sort of way.
And a steady one-horse shay,
And the girls that peep from greenery,
In a quiet sort of way.
It is sweet to hear the birdies,
And that ass the Rector bray;
They recall the hurdy-gurdies,
In a quiet sort of way.
And that ass the Rector bray;
They recall the hurdy-gurdies,
In a quiet sort of way.
I am shepherd to the lonely,
That alas! has learnt to stray;
But I show attentions only,
In a quiet sort of way.
That alas! has learnt to stray;
But I show attentions only,
In a quiet sort of way.
I like Annie but not hèr Aunt,
And the dragon I would slay,
For I am George night-errant,
In a quiet sort of way.
And the dragon I would slay,
For I am George night-errant,
In a quiet sort of way.
I was taught a little Latin,
By a dictionary fay;
But my books are bound in satin,
In a quiet sort of way.
By a dictionary fay;
But my books are bound in satin,
In a quiet sort of way.
Yes, in dainty silks they prattle,
And they laugh like silver spray;
Their contents are tea and tattle,
In a quiet sort of way.
And they laugh like silver spray;
Their contents are tea and tattle,
In a quiet sort of way.
For my library is woman,
From the Thames unto the Tay;
And my heart is very human,
In a quiet sort of way.
From the Thames unto the Tay;
And my heart is very human,
In a quiet sort of way.
And at five I flutter often,
To the social tiff and tray;
Where the bright eyes beam and soften,
In a quiet sort of way.
To the social tiff and tray;
Where the bright eyes beam and soften,
In a quiet sort of way.
547
For fair lances I've a liking,
And am eager for the fray,
When the attitudes are striking,
In a quiet sort of way.
And am eager for the fray,
When the attitudes are striking,
In a quiet sort of way.
I am not a crude abstainer
And I love the brewer's dray;
For this child's an old campaigner,
In a quiet sort of way.
And I love the brewer's dray;
For this child's an old campaigner,
In a quiet sort of way.
When I go to Ascot races,
A small wager I can lay,
On the horse with winning paces,
In a quiet sort of way.
A small wager I can lay,
On the horse with winning paces,
In a quiet sort of way.
I have studied ornithology,
And distinguished duck from jay;
And am great at Anne-thropology,
In a quiet sort of way.
And distinguished duck from jay;
And am great at Anne-thropology,
In a quiet sort of way.
My locks are growing fewer,
And my head is turning gray;
But I use the “Hair Renewer,”
In a quiet sort of way.
And my head is turning gray;
But I use the “Hair Renewer,”
In a quiet sort of way.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |