I saw her father, and I spoke Of marriage in his study; But would he let her marry me Alas! alas! how could he? I saw him smile a glad consent, My anxious heart relieving, And then I saw the settlements Oh! seeing's not believing! I saw the daughter, and I named My moderate finances; She spurned me not, she gave me one Of her most tender glances. I saw her father's bank--thought I, There cash is safe from thieving; I saw my money safely lodged: Oh! seeing's not believing! I saw the bank, the shutters up, I could not think what they meant, The old infirmity of firms, The bank had just stopped payment! I saw my future father then Was ruined past retrieving, Like me, without a single _sou_: Oh! seeing's not believing! I saw the banker's wife had got The fortune settled on her; What cared he, when the creditors Talked loudly of dishonour! I saw his name in the _Gazette_, But soon I stared, perceiving, He bought another house and grounds: Oh! seeing's not believing! I saw--yes, as plain as could be, I saw the banker's daughter; She saw me, too, and called for sal Volatile and water. She said that she had just espoused A rich old man, conceiving That I was dead or gone to gaol: Oh! seeing's not believing! I saw a friend, and freely spoke My mind on the transaction; Her brother heard it, and he called, Demanding satisfaction. We met--I fell--that brother's ball In my left leg receiving; I have two legs, true--_one is cork_: Oh! seeing's not believing! THOMAS HAYNES BAYLEY. _CAUDLE HAS BEEN MADE A MASON._ Now, Mr. Caudle--Mr. Caudle, I say: oh! you can't be asleep already, I know. Now, what I mean to say is this: there's no use, none at all, in our having any disturbance about the matter; but at last my mind's made up, Mr. Caudle; I shall leave you. Either I know all you've been doing to-night, or to-morrow morning I shall quit the house. No, no! There's an end of the marriage state, I think--and an end of all confidence between man and wife--if a husband's to have secrets and keep 'em all to himself. Pretty secrets they must be, when his own wife can't know 'em. Not fit for any decent person to know, I'm sure, if that's the case. Now, Caudle, don't let us quarrel, there's a good soul: tell me, what's it all about? A pack of nonsense, I daresay; still--not that I care much about it--still, I should like to know. There's a dear. Eh? Oh, don't tell me there's nothing in it; I know better. I'm not a fool, Mr. Caudle; I know there's a good deal in it. Now, Caudle, just tell me a little bit of it. I'm sure I'd tell you anything. You know I would. Well?