 | Rhymes with reason and without |  |
257
THE MYSTERY SOLVED;
Or a caution to people not to think themselves better-looking than they really are.
I met a friend in State-street, and he gave a leer and wink,
I thought the fellow must be mad or silly made by drink,
He plied his thumb unto his nose, and laughing passed along,
Amid the crowd of eager men that thereabout do throng.
I thought the fellow must be mad or silly made by drink,
He plied his thumb unto his nose, and laughing passed along,
Amid the crowd of eager men that thereabout do throng.
And next a lady fair I met, and touched to her my hat;
She merely smiled a “how do ye,” and shocking cold at that;
And a pretty girl with laughter shook, who walkéd by her side,
But why they looked and acted thus I knew not, if I died.
She merely smiled a “how do ye,” and shocking cold at that;
And a pretty girl with laughter shook, who walkéd by her side,
But why they looked and acted thus I knew not, if I died.
And queerly looked all men at me,—the stranger and the friend,—
And nods and winks mysterious received I without end;
Each store I visited the clerks did whisper and did smile,
And the smooth-faced pampered villains did watch me all the while.
And nods and winks mysterious received I without end;
Each store I visited the clerks did whisper and did smile,
And the smooth-faced pampered villains did watch me all the while.
258
The day was spent; I homeward turned, and sought my dearest wife,—
Dearest, because the only one I ever had in life;—
The instant that she looked on me, she sank into a seat,
And with peals of laughter did she me her “lord and master” greet.
Dearest, because the only one I ever had in life;—
The instant that she looked on me, she sank into a seat,
And with peals of laughter did she me her “lord and master” greet.
Perplexed, I thought her crazy, and I stamped and tore my hair,
The “mischief” seemed to haunt me here at home, and everywhere;
I conjured her by olden love the mystery to explain;
She looked again into my face, and then she screamed again.
The “mischief” seemed to haunt me here at home, and everywhere;
I conjured her by olden love the mystery to explain;
She looked again into my face, and then she screamed again.
She took my hand and led me up toward my mantel pier,
And, with another burst of mirth, said, “Look in there, my dear.”
And there was writ the meaning plain of shrug and nod and wink,
My face was smeared confoundedly, all over it, with ink!
And, with another burst of mirth, said, “Look in there, my dear.”
And there was writ the meaning plain of shrug and nod and wink,
My face was smeared confoundedly, all over it, with ink!
| Rhymes with reason and without | |