Ay, ’twas here, on this spot, In that summer of yore, Atalanta did not Vote my presence a bore, Nor reply to my tenderest talk “She had heard all that nonsense before.” She’d the brooch I had bought And the necklace and sash on, And her heart, as I thought, Was alive to my passion; And she’d done up her hair in the style that the Empress had brought into fashion. I had been to the play With my pearl of a Peri— But, for all I could say, She declared she was weary, That “the place was so crowded and hot, and she couldn’t abide that Dundreary.” [Picture: On this spot . . .] Then I thought “Lucky boy! ’Tis for _you_ that she whimpers!” And I noted with joy Those sensational simpers: And I said “This is scrumptious!”—a phrase I had learned from the Devonshire shrimpers. And I vowed “’Twill be said I’m a fortunate fellow, When the breakfast is spread, When the topers are mellow, When the foam of the bride-cake is white, and the fierce orange-blossoms are yellow!” O that languishing yawn! O those eloquent eyes! I was drunk with the dawn Of a splendid surmise— I was stung by a look, I was slain by a tear, by a tempest of sighs. Then I whispered “I see The sweet secret thou keepest. And the yearning for _ME_ That thou wistfully weepest! And the question is ‘License or Banns?’, though undoubtedly Banns are the cheapest.” “Be my Hero,” said I, “And let _me_ be Leander!” But I lost her reply— Something ending with “gander”— For the omnibus rattled so loud that no mortal could quite understand her. THE LANG COORTIN’ The ladye she stood at her lattice high, Wi’ her doggie at her feet; Thorough the lattice she can spy The passers in the street, “There’s one that standeth at the door, And tirleth at the pin: Now speak and say, my popinjay, If I sall let him in.” Then up and spake the popinjay That flew abune her head: “Gae let him in that tirls the pin: He cometh thee to wed.” O when he cam’ the parlour in, A woeful man was he! “And dinna ye ken your lover agen, Sae well that loveth thee?” [Picture: The popinjay] “And how wad I ken ye loved me, Sir, That have been sae lang away? And how wad I ken ye loved me, Sir? Ye never telled me sae.”