 | Words by the Wayside |  |
60
Of Janet, aged 5
To-day I saw your little Jan,
You two in India far away,
A dainty sylph that laughed and ran
Upon the summer lawns at play:
Dark-eyed with elfin locks of gold,
A medley quaint of grave and gay,
Of coy and forward, young and old—
I saw your little Jan to-day.
You two in India far away,
A dainty sylph that laughed and ran
Upon the summer lawns at play:
Dark-eyed with elfin locks of gold,
A medley quaint of grave and gay,
Of coy and forward, young and old—
I saw your little Jan to-day.
She paused amidst her paradise,
And lofty scorn was in her ken,
Half scanning with reluctant eyes
The monster, me. A sprite, a wren,
The shy beginnings of a girl,
A saucy nymph, a wayward fay,
A dewdrop prisoned in a pearl—
I saw your little Jan to-day.
And lofty scorn was in her ken,
Half scanning with reluctant eyes
The monster, me. A sprite, a wren,
The shy beginnings of a girl,
A saucy nymph, a wayward fay,
A dewdrop prisoned in a pearl—
I saw your little Jan to-day.
Anon to battledore she sped,
Or turned with flying puss to fly,
Or seized the terrier by the head,
Unconscious of her cruelty.
Her pout is an incarnate kiss,
She smiles, a sunbeam strikes the may!
Her whim is law: you'll know by this
I saw your little Jan to-day.
Or turned with flying puss to fly,
Or seized the terrier by the head,
Unconscious of her cruelty.
Her pout is an incarnate kiss,
She smiles, a sunbeam strikes the may!
Her whim is law: you'll know by this
I saw your little Jan to-day.
61
No news I send you: 'tis the heart
In exile hungers, not the brain:
What need to prate of Church and mart,
Or Curzon and his coming reign?
Of statesman and of diplomat
The more that's said, the more's to say?
Kingdoms may wane, but what of that?—
I saw your little Jan to-day.
In exile hungers, not the brain:
What need to prate of Church and mart,
Or Curzon and his coming reign?
Of statesman and of diplomat
The more that's said, the more's to say?
Kingdoms may wane, but what of that?—
I saw your little Jan to-day.
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