 | Rhymes with reason and without |  |
204
A RHYME ABOUT A BABY.
One Saturday night
(I forget me quite
Whether 't was stormy, or whether 't was bright),
As Mr. Haiz and his good wife sat,
Somewhat later than was their way,
Talking o'er about this and that
Of what had happened throughout the day,—
A little domestic council of two,
Discussing as gravely as cabinets do,
Laying out plans for coming days;—
For a prudent man was Solomon Haiz,
And his wife, Mrs. Haiz, search the town all around,
A prudenter woman could n't be found.
(I forget me quite
Whether 't was stormy, or whether 't was bright),
As Mr. Haiz and his good wife sat,
Somewhat later than was their way,
Talking o'er about this and that
Of what had happened throughout the day,—
A little domestic council of two,
Discussing as gravely as cabinets do,
Laying out plans for coming days;—
For a prudent man was Solomon Haiz,
And his wife, Mrs. Haiz, search the town all around,
A prudenter woman could n't be found.
They had just arrived at the dreamy state,
And for bed were about to adjourn debate,
For the hour was getting rather late,
When the door-bell rang
With a terrible clang,
And upon their taps the Haizes sprang.
And for bed were about to adjourn debate,
For the hour was getting rather late,
When the door-bell rang
With a terrible clang,
And upon their taps the Haizes sprang.
Now, a bolder man than Solomon Haiz
Cannot be found in these latter days,
But he trembled at the din;
He turned the matter in his mind
Of what or whom he there should find,
And whether to let them in.
Cannot be found in these latter days,
205
He turned the matter in his mind
Of what or whom he there should find,
And whether to let them in.
Then he seized the lamp—to the door he went—
“Who 's there?” thrice shouted, with all his might;
No answer returned—his patience was spent—
He opened the door, and looked out on the night;
Boldly outward he thrust the light,
But there was n't a moving thing in sight;
The lamp's bright glare,
In the midnight air,
Cast horrible shadows here and there,
And worse shape he 'd never seen before
Than his own, revealed on his half-closed door.
“Who 's there?” thrice shouted, with all his might;
No answer returned—his patience was spent—
He opened the door, and looked out on the night;
Boldly outward he thrust the light,
But there was n't a moving thing in sight;
The lamp's bright glare,
In the midnight air,
Cast horrible shadows here and there,
And worse shape he 'd never seen before
Than his own, revealed on his half-closed door.
He lookéd out and lookéd around,
And up and down with eager eye,
When glimmering white below, on the ground,
At his out-thrust foot did a basket lie.
And up and down with eager eye,
When glimmering white below, on the ground,
At his out-thrust foot did a basket lie.
The door slammed to with a terrible din,
Waking the house with dire alarms,
When Mr. Haiz, to his wife's amaze,
Walked straight in with a babe in his arms!
Waking the house with dire alarms,
When Mr. Haiz, to his wife's amaze,
Walked straight in with a babe in his arms!
Now a scene occurred, as a player might say,
'T would require an able pen to portray,
For things did look in a serious way;
For Mrs. Haiz,
With her face in a blaze,
Seemed struck mute with a fit of amaze;
While poor Mr. Haiz
Looked forty ways,
Unable to meet her fiery gaze.
'T would require an able pen to portray,
For things did look in a serious way;
206
With her face in a blaze,
Seemed struck mute with a fit of amaze;
While poor Mr. Haiz
Looked forty ways,
Unable to meet her fiery gaze.
But 't was none of his, he vowed by his gods,
And why it was left there he could n't tell;
The dame replied by incredulous nods,
And a look whose meaning he knew full well.
And why it was left there he could n't tell;
The dame replied by incredulous nods,
And a look whose meaning he knew full well.
Then zealously opened a new debate,
And long to agree they were quite unable;
He could n't hold out, for the subject's weight
Made Mr. Haiz move it might lie on the table.
And long to agree they were quite unable;
He could n't hold out, for the subject's weight
Made Mr. Haiz move it might lie on the table.
Then they unpinned the wrapper to look at the child,
And, as for conquest, the little elf
Looked up at the lady and sweetly smiled,
Till she grew good-natured in spite of herself.
And, as for conquest, the little elf
Looked up at the lady and sweetly smiled,
Till she grew good-natured in spite of herself.
Now, a chick nor child the Haizes had not,
Although they had room and plenty of tin;
And anger gave way to a gentler thought,
And they took the young night-coming stranger in.
Although they had room and plenty of tin;
And anger gave way to a gentler thought,
And they took the young night-coming stranger in.
The next day being Sunday, to church they went,
And the babe was christened Abijah Haiz,
And the little waif thus heaven sent
Was a comfort to them all their days.
And the babe was christened Abijah Haiz,
And the little waif thus heaven sent
Was a comfort to them all their days.
207
Whether right or not right,
On that Saturday night,
To leave the baby where he might spy him,
Every one says
That Solomon Haiz
Acted just like a father by him.
On that Saturday night,
To leave the baby where he might spy him,
Every one says
That Solomon Haiz
Acted just like a father by him.
| Rhymes with reason and without | |