What if ma belle from favor fell, And I made up my mind to shake her, Would Lydia, then, Come back again And to her quondam flame betake her? LYDIA My other beau should surely go, And you alone should find me gracious; For no one slings Such odes and things As does the lauriger Horatius! OUR TWO OPINIONS Us two wuz boys when we fell out,-- Nigh to the age uv my youngest now; Don't rec'lect what't wuz about, Some small deeff'rence, I'll allow. Lived next neighbors twenty years, A-hatin' each other, me 'nd Jim,-- He havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_, 'Nd _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv _him_. Grew up together 'nd would n't speak, Courted sisters, 'nd marr'd 'em, too; Tended same meetin'-house oncet a week, A-hatin' each other through 'nd through! But when Abe Linkern asked the West F'r soldiers, we answered,--me 'nd Jim,-- _He_ havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_, 'Nd _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv _him_. But down in Tennessee one night Ther' wuz sound uv firin' fur away, 'Nd the sergeant allowed ther' 'd be a fight With the Johnnie Rebs some time nex' day; 'Nd as I wuz thinkin' uv Lizzie 'nd home Jim stood afore me, long 'nd slim,-- _He_ havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_, 'Nd _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv _him_. Seemed like we knew there wuz goin' to be Serious trouble f'r me 'nd him; Us two shuck hands, did Jim 'nd me, But never a word from me or Jim! He went _his_ way 'nd _I_ went _mine_, 'Nd into the battle's roar went we,-- _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv Jim, 'Nd _he_ havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_. Jim never come back from the war again, But I ha' n't forgot that last, last night When, waitin' f'r orders, us two men Made up 'nd shuck hands, afore the fight. 'Nd, after it all, it's soothin' to know That here _I_ be 'nd yonder's Jim,-- _He_ havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_, 'Nd _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv _him_. MOTHER AND CHILD One night a tiny dewdrop fell Into the bosom of a rose,-- "Dear little one, I love thee well, Be ever here thy sweet repose!" Seeing the rose with love bedight, The envious sky frowned dark, and then Sent forth a messenger of light And caught the dewdrop up again. "Oh, give me back my heavenly child,-- My love!" the rose in anguish cried; Alas! the sky triumphant smiled, And so the flower, heart-broken, died. ORKNEY LULLABY A moonbeam floateth from the skies, Whispering, "Heigho, my dearie! I would spin a web before your eyes,-- A beautiful web of silver light, Wherein is many a wondrous sight Of a radiant garden leagues away, Where the softly tinkling lilies sway, And the snow-white lambkins are at play,-- Heigho, my dearie!" A brownie stealeth from the vine Singing, "Heigho, my dearie! And will you hear this song of mine,-- A song of the land of murk and mist Where bideth the bud the dew hath kist? Then let the moonbeam's web of light Be spun before thee silvery white, And I shall sing the livelong night,-- Heigho, my dearie!"