MISS EDITH

Miss Edith lifts the latch with care,

And now she must brave the chill night air.

She has violet eyes and ruby lips,

A dancing shape — and away she skips;

She hies to the haunt of a hermit weird,

With flaming eyes and a forky beard,

A shocking wizard — who, gossips say,

Has dwelt in his cavern a year to-day.

“O, ancient man! I am filled with fear,

My lover has left me full a year.

‘ I swear to return in a year,’ said he,

‘ Or question the man of mystery.

Your eyes are blue, and your lips are red;

I swear, my love, to come back,’ he said.

O, fearsome man! I pray of you,

Can he prove so false whom I think so true?”

“O, daughter fair! I am sad to say

That young men now and then betray:

Thy lover, I wis, has thy trust betray’ d,

For he presently woos a witching maid:

Her eyes are blue, and, I tell thee this,

She has tempting lips that he fain would kiss;

But courage, my child, thou mayst yet discover

A clue to the heart of this worthless lover.”

He mutter’ d, when thus he the maid had cheer’ d,

A strange sound that was drown’ d in the forky beard;

Then all around loud thunders broke,

And the cave was wrapp’ d in fire and smoke,

And that fearsome man has disappear’ d

With his flaming eyes and his forky beard;

And Edith weeps in rapture sweet

To find her lover at her feet!