Sad is that woman's lot who, year by year, Sees, one by one, her beauties disappear; As Time, grown weary of her heart-drawn sighs, Impatiently begins to "dim her eyes "!-- Herself compelled, in life's uncertain gloamings, To wreathe her wrinkled brow with well-saved "combings"-- Reduced, with rouge, lipsalve, and pearly grey, To "make up" for lost time, as best she may! Silvered is the raven hair, Spreading is the parting straight, Mottled the complexion fair, Halting is the youthful gait, Hollow is the laughter free, Spectacled the limpid eye, Little will be left of me, In the coming by-and-by! Fading is the taper waist-- Shapeless grows the shapely limb, And although securely laced, Spreading is the figure trim! Stouter than I used to be, Still more corpulent grow I-- There will be too much of me In the coming by-and-by! [Illustration] [Illustration] TO A LITTLE MAID BY A POLICEMAN Come with me, little maid! Nay, shrink not, thus afraid-- I'll harm thee not! Fly not, my love, from me-- I have a home for thee-- A fairy grot, Where mortal eye Can rarely pry, There shall thy dwelling be! List to me, while I tell The pleasures of that cell, Oh, little maid! What though its couch be rude-- Homely the only food Within its shade? No thought of care Can enter there, No vulgar swain intrude! Come with me, little maid, Come to the rocky shade I love to sing; Live with us, maiden rare-- Come, for we "want" thee there, Thou elfin thing, To work thy spell, In some cool cell In stately Pentonville! [Illustration] THE HIGHLY RESPECTABLE GONDOLIER I stole the Prince, and I brought him here, And left him, gaily prattling With a highly respectable Gondolier, Who promised the Royal babe to rear, And teach him the trade of a timoneer With his own beloved bratling. Both of the babes were strong and stout, And, considering all things, clever. Of that there is no manner of doubt-- No probable, possible shadow of doubt-- No possible doubt whatever. Time sped, and when at the end of a year I sought that infant cherished, That highly respectable Gondolier Was lying a corpse on his humble bier-- I dropped a Grand Inquisitor's tear-- That Gondolier had perished! A taste for drink, combined with gout, Had doubled him up for ever. Of _that_ there is no manner of doubt-- No probable, possible shadow of doubt-- No possible doubt whatever.