The Lover's Baedeker and Guide to Arcady — John Shaqi
The Lover's Baedeker and Guide to ArcadyWells, Carolyn
General
The Lover's Baedeker and Guide to Arcady
Wells, Carolyn
Love
PLACES OF INTEREST: A walk or drive round Arcady will reveal many points
of interest to the traveler. The groves and dells are decorated with
beautiful statues, among which may be noticed Venus, Eros, Psyche,
Adonis, Lothario, Dulcinea, Byron, Mrs. Browning, and lovers of all
times and ages.
Around the corner there is a little church with a chime of wedding
bells.
* * * * *
POST-OFFICE: The post-office is in the heart of an old hollow oak tree
at the corner of Lovers’ Lane and Great Joy Street. It is always much
used, but on St. Valentine’s Day the accommodations are quite
inadequate.
HEART EXCHANGE: The Heart Exchange is a time-honored institution, and a
circulating library of hearts is patronized by summer girls and college
youths. The Poet’s Corner (corner of Grub Street and Maiden Lane) is
always a crowded spot, and the Photograph Galleries are well patronized.
THE INTERCEPTED VALENTINE
Little Bo-peep, will you be mine?
I want you for my Valentine.
You are my choice of all the girls,
With your blushing cheeks and your fluttering curls,
With your ribbons gay and your kirtle neat,
None other is so fair and sweet.
Little Bo-peep, let’s run away,
And marry each other on Midsummer Day;
And ever to you I’ll be fond and true.
Your faithful Valentine,
Little Boy Blue.
* * * * *
BANKS: There are many banks. One of the best known is the bank on which
the wild thyme grows, and another almost equally noted is the bank on
which the moonlight slept so sweetly in Jessica’s time.
There is a Rainy-Day Bank, much patronized by thrifty young Lovers.
Every day is Bank Holiday in Arcady.
* * * * *
THE HOSPITAL: The hospital is a fine up-to-date building, for the
benefit of lovesick swains. It is situated on the corner of Heartbreak
Avenue and Despair Street, and is in charge of skilled medical men and
well-trained nurses.
Special wards are provided for the moonstruck, and padded cells for
Swains suffering from Love’s delirium, or those frantic Lovers who have
been bitten by the Green-Eyed Monster.
Emergency Specialists provide first aid to the smitten, and Anatomical
Experts attend those who have had their heads turned, or who have fallen
over head and ears in love; while clever Oculists look after those whom
Love has made blind, or whose eyes are in a fine frenzy rolling.
* * * * *
THE WEATHER BUREAU: The weather bureau in Arcady is a most unreliable
affair.
If a frown cloud his lady’s face, the sign to the Lover is: “Fair and
Slightly Cooler.”
If he fail in any attention she expected, the sign may be read: “About
this time expect a frost.”
[Illustration: WEATHER BUREAU
“FAIR AND SLIGHTLY COOLER”]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account