Ten years later--Time progresses-- Sours your temper--thins your tresses; Fancy, then, her chain relaxes; Rates are facts and so are taxes. Fairy Queen's no longer young-- Fairy Queen has such a tongue! Twins have probably intruded-- Quite unbidden--just as you did; They're a source of care and trouble-- Just as you were--only double. Comes at last the final stroke-- Time has had his little joke! Ho! ho! ho! ho! ho! ho! ho! ho! Daily driven (Wife as drover) Ill you've thriven-- Ne'er in clover: Lastly, when Threescore and ten (And not till then), The joke is over! Ho! ho! ho! ho! ho! ho! ho! ho! Then--and then The joke is over! [Illustration] [Illustration] LIMITED LIABILITY Some seven men form an Association (If possible, all Peers and Baronets), They start off with a public declaration To what extent they mean to pay their debts. That's called their Capital: if they are wary They will not quote it at a sum immense. The figure's immaterial--it may vary From eighteen million down to eighteenpence. _I_ should put it rather low; The good sense of doing so Will be evident at once to any debtor. When it's left to you to say What amount you mean to pay, Why, the lower you can put it at, the better. They then proceed to trade with all who'll trust 'em, Quite irrespective of their capital (It's shady, but it's sanctified by custom); Bank, Railway, Loan, or Panama Canal. You can't embark on trading too tremendous-- It's strictly fair, and based on common sense-- If you succeed, your profits are stupendous-- And if you fail, pop goes your eighteenpence. Make the money-spinner spin! For you only stand to win, And you'll never with dishonesty be twitted. For nobody can know, To a million or so, To what extent your capital's committed! If you come to grief, and creditors are craving (For nothing that is planned by mortal head Is certain in this Vale of Sorrow--saving That one's Liability is Limited),-- Do you suppose that signifies perdition? If so you're but a monetary dunce-- You merely file a Winding-Up Petition, And start another Company at once! Though a Rothschild you may be In your own capacity, As a Company you've come to utter sorrow-- But the Liquidators say, "Never mind--you needn't pay," So you start another Company to-morrow! [Illustration] THE SENSATION CAPTAIN