 | [The modern belle, in] The school-girl's garland |  |
256
THE MODERN BELLE.
The daughter sits in the parlor,
And rocks in her easy chair;
She's clad in her silks and satins,
And jewels are in her hair.
And rocks in her easy chair;
She's clad in her silks and satins,
And jewels are in her hair.
She winks, and giggles, and simpers,
And simpers, and giggles, and winks,
And though she talks but a little,
'Tis vastly more than she thinks.
And simpers, and giggles, and winks,
And though she talks but a little,
'Tis vastly more than she thinks.
Her father goes clad in his russet,
And ragged and seedy at that;
His coats are all out at the elbow,
And he wears a most shocking bad hat.
And ragged and seedy at that;
His coats are all out at the elbow,
And he wears a most shocking bad hat.
257
He's hoarding and saving his shillings
So carefully day by day,
While she, on her beaux and poodles,
Is throwing them all away.
So carefully day by day,
While she, on her beaux and poodles,
Is throwing them all away.
She lies abed in the morning,
Till nearly the hour of noon;
Then comes down snapping and snarling
Because she was called so soon.
Till nearly the hour of noon;
Then comes down snapping and snarling
Because she was called so soon.
She doats upon men unshaven,
And men with “flowing hair,”
She's eloquent over moustaches—
“They give such a foreign air!”
And men with “flowing hair,”
She's eloquent over moustaches—
“They give such a foreign air!”
She talks of Italian music,
And falls in love with the moon,
And though but a mouse should meet her,
She sinks away in a swoon.
And falls in love with the moon,
And though but a mouse should meet her,
She sinks away in a swoon.
Her feet are so very little,
Her hands are so very white;
Her jewels are so very heavy,
And her head is so very light.
Her hands are so very white;
Her jewels are so very heavy,
And her head is so very light.
Her color is made of cosmetics,
Though this she never will own;
Her body's made mostly of cotton,
Her heart's made wholly of stone.
Though this she never will own;
Her body's made mostly of cotton,
Her heart's made wholly of stone.
She falls in love with a fellow,
Who struts with a foreign air;
He marries her for her money,
She marries him for his hair.
Who struts with a foreign air;
He marries her for her money,
She marries him for his hair.
258
One of the very best matches—
Both are well mated in life;
She's got a fool for a husband,
And he's got a fool for a wife!
Both are well mated in life;
She's got a fool for a husband,
And he's got a fool for a wife!
J. G. Saxe.
| [The modern belle, in] The school-girl's garland | |