The Masquerade and Other Poems (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1866 edition. Excerpt: ...siren said, "Or we shall lose the lunch at 'leven " I can't describe the dreadful shock, The mingled sense of love and pity, With which, next day, at ten o'clock, I started for Manhattan city; 'T was years ago--that sad " Good bye," Yet o'er the scene fond memory lingers; I see the crystals in her eye, And berry-stains upon her fingers Ah me of so much loveliness It had been sweet to be the winner; I know she loved me only less--The merest fraction--than her dinner; 'T was hard to lose so fair a prize, But then (I thought) 't were vastly harder To have before my jealous eyes A constant rival in my larder TOUJOURS LES FEMMES. ITHINK it was a Persian king Who used to say, that evermore In human life each evil thing Comes of the sex that men adore; That naught, in brief, had e'er befell To harm or grieve our hapless race, But, if you probe the matter well, You 'll find a woman in the case And then the curious tale is told How, when upon a certain night A climbing youngster lost his hold, And falling from a ladder's height, Was found, alas next morning dead, His Majesty, with solemn face, As was his wont, demurely said, "Pray, who's the woman in the case?" And how a lady of his court, Who deemed the royal whim absurd, Rebuked him, while she made report Of the mischance that late occurred; Whereat the king replied in glee, "I Ve heard the story, please your Grace, And all the witnesses agree There was a woman in the case " "The truth, your Ladyship, is this, (Nor is it marvellous at all) The chap was climbing for a kiss, And got, instead, a fatal fall. Whene'er a man--as I have said--Falls from a ladder, or from grace, Or breaks his faith, or breaks his head, There is a woman in the case " For...