See the traders with their bills Showy bills; What a joyous feeling every speculator fills, As his bills go crinkle, crinkle, On the counters smooth and bright; And the eyes of bankers twinkle At their shareholders delight, Who are dreaming all the time, Of dividends sublime―― Of a very high percentage made from cashing doubtful bills, Bills, bills, bills, bills, Of gratifying profits from accommodation bills. See the foreign merchants’ bills, Flimsy bills! For railways, ships and waterworks and tunnels through the hills, Oh, we take them with delight, And for “3 months, after sight” Give them sovereigns and notes; And very soon The merry gambler floats Far away from British shores, while he gloats On the boon; An operatic melody he trills, And his mellow meerschaum fills, And he swills A bumper as he chuckles at the state of bankers’ tills; When his bills Falling due, Not a Jew Will give twopence for the batch of foreign bills. Then the failure of the bills, Brazen bills! What a tale of terror now the crazy city fills! Managers, directors, how it thrills! When they see from morn till night, Houses crashing left and right, Fearing, ere a week, A crowd may shriek, shriek, With a clamorous appealing at the counters of the bank Saying, gentlemen, we’ll thank You very much without delay to empty all your tills; Things are looking very black, And we want our money back; And the banker fully knows By the banging And the clanging How the danger ebbs and flows. But we trust these passing ills Will clear the city air, By inducing greater care How good money is exchanged for worthless bills, Bills, bills, bills, bills, In discounting such accommodation bills. _Funny Folks_, 14 August, 1875. ――――:o:―――― THE BELLES. I.