 | Rhymes with reason and without |  |
49
THE SONG OF THE JILTED ONE.
A sweeter girl I never knew
Than Juliana Lownds,—
A lump of loveliness she grew,
And weighed two hundred pounds.
Than Juliana Lownds,—
A lump of loveliness she grew,
And weighed two hundred pounds.
Her form majestic was and straight,
It queenly graces bore,
And as she walked she showed a gait
Which men liked to adore.
It queenly graces bore,
And as she walked she showed a gait
Which men liked to adore.
Her voice!—ah! in it dwelt a charm,—
One likewise in her fist;
For power great was in her arm,
That few might dare resist.
One likewise in her fist;
For power great was in her arm,
That few might dare resist.
Her skin was fair,—ah! very fair,—
Her teeth were white as pearls;
A charming auburn was her hair,
Which hung in corkscrew curls.
Her teeth were white as pearls;
A charming auburn was her hair,
Which hung in corkscrew curls.
Her mouth was just that comely sort
'T would sore provoke to kiss it,—
'T would buss you for the asking for 't,
And never seem to miss it.
'T would sore provoke to kiss it,—
'T would buss you for the asking for 't,
And never seem to miss it.
50
Her eyes were of the heavenly hue,
And roguish in their beaming;
A glance would pierce the toughest through,
And set the tender dreaming.
And roguish in their beaming;
A glance would pierce the toughest through,
And set the tender dreaming.
Her blush was like the clover red;
Her smile, the sunbeam gay;
Her frown, the black cloud overhead;
Her breath, the new-mown hay.
Her smile, the sunbeam gay;
Her frown, the black cloud overhead;
Her breath, the new-mown hay.
Her nose was Nature's fairest show,—
Sculptor ne'er dreamed a richer;
Though envious ones compared it to
The nose upon a pitcher.
Sculptor ne'er dreamed a richer;
Though envious ones compared it to
The nose upon a pitcher.
And how I loved fair Julian.!
And how I spent my money!
My life's young current seeming ran
With naught but wine and honey.
And how I spent my money!
My life's young current seeming ran
With naught but wine and honey.
And every hour of every day,
With glances warm as tinder,
I watched my charmer o'er the way,
As she worked by a “winder.”
With glances warm as tinder,
I watched my charmer o'er the way,
As she worked by a “winder.”
Alas! how human hopes decay!
How love's repasts grow colder!
We dine on strawberries to-day,
To-morrow get cold shoulder.
How love's repasts grow colder!
We dine on strawberries to-day,
To-morrow get cold shoulder.
51
False Juliana cast me by,
And wedded with a baker;
We had a fight—I blacked his eye,
And let the loafer take her.
And wedded with a baker;
We had a fight—I blacked his eye,
And let the loafer take her.
Time, time has flown, and I'm unwed,
And Fame has been the jewel
That I with hope have worshippéd,
Nor found her cold or cruel.
And Fame has been the jewel
That I with hope have worshippéd,
Nor found her cold or cruel.
And Juliana, fair no more,
Has portlier grown than ever;
A baker's dozen round her door,
A husband far from clever.
Has portlier grown than ever;
A baker's dozen round her door,
A husband far from clever.
I see him reel from dram-shops low,
Most desperately wilted,
And ask myself, “Can it be so,
That I for him was jilted?”
Most desperately wilted,
And ask myself, “Can it be so,
That I for him was jilted?”
And Juliana sees me pass,
I know, with thought regretful;
I hear her scold, alas! alas!
With accents harsh and fretful.
I know, with thought regretful;
I hear her scold, alas! alas!
With accents harsh and fretful.
And at such times, I greatly fear,
Her seedy spouse, the baker,
May, as he quails her notes to hear,
Wish that the—might take her.
Her seedy spouse, the baker,
May, as he quails her notes to hear,
Wish that the—might take her.
| Rhymes with reason and without | |