Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold By "F. Harald Williams"[i.e. F. W. O. Ward]. First Edition |
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BROWN DIAMONDS. |
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 | Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold |  |
BROWN DIAMONDS.
There are Brown Diamonds,
And I who speak have seen and handled them;
Yes, at Lord Briamond's,
In that tremendous crush
Like strawberries and cream, one white rose blush,
I found a beauty, quite a perfect gem—
The purest water;
Ah, you can guess, it was the Merchant's daughter,
Poor little dear,
With the suspicion of a tear
Just bridled back, led as a lamb to slaughter—
Got up resplendent, and half fun, half fear.
And I who speak have seen and handled them;
Yes, at Lord Briamond's,
In that tremendous crush
Like strawberries and cream, one white rose blush,
I found a beauty, quite a perfect gem—
The purest water;
Ah, you can guess, it was the Merchant's daughter,
Poor little dear,
With the suspicion of a tear
Just bridled back, led as a lamb to slaughter—
Got up resplendent, and half fun, half fear.
Her first young outing—
And so she looked a victim scared and shy,
With pretty pouting;
Alas, there's many a slip,
Between the kiss and the sweet scarlet lip!
And diamonds clearly shone, in each brown eye.
But she seemed puzzled,
As wondering if the men were really muzzled
By social rites
And took decorous bites,
Or fancying by mistake they might have guzzled
Among the dainties there such modest mites.
And so she looked a victim scared and shy,
With pretty pouting;
Alas, there's many a slip,
Between the kiss and the sweet scarlet lip!
And diamonds clearly shone, in each brown eye.
But she seemed puzzled,
As wondering if the men were really muzzled
By social rites
And took decorous bites,
Or fancying by mistake they might have guzzled
Among the dainties there such modest mites.
419
Yet she was pliable,
I found, when fairly introduced—and then
So undeniable,
Her charm and fortune sure;
For she was heiress, proper and demure,
Herself, not at the mercy of a pen!
She sweetly prattled
Of protoplasm and stocks and downright tattled,
Though looking down;
And she was gipsy brown
To her warm finger tips, and diamonds battled
With the bright lustre of her gorgeous gown.
I found, when fairly introduced—and then
So undeniable,
Her charm and fortune sure;
For she was heiress, proper and demure,
Herself, not at the mercy of a pen!
She sweetly prattled
Of protoplasm and stocks and downright tattled,
Though looking down;
And she was gipsy brown
To her warm finger tips, and diamonds battled
With the bright lustre of her gorgeous gown.
Her hair was russet,
And, if by Röntgen's rays I could have seen,
Each seam and gusset
Would have appeared the same;
Her glowing cheeks were truly a brown flame,
Her mouth dropt pearls of wisdom and between
A rarer jewel
Like diamonds, sometimes, and as clear and cruel.
Her graces ripe,
I tell you, were enough to wipe
Out all the image of the Siren Sewell—
I even forgot for once my precious pipe.
And, if by Röntgen's rays I could have seen,
Each seam and gusset
Would have appeared the same;
Her glowing cheeks were truly a brown flame,
Her mouth dropt pearls of wisdom and between
A rarer jewel
Like diamonds, sometimes, and as clear and cruel.
Her graces ripe,
I tell you, were enough to wipe
Out all the image of the Siren Sewell—
I even forgot for once my precious pipe.
| Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold | |