Or a B.S.A. went on

Past Natal to Cheribon,

Then great Mr. Lloyds would come
With a wire and drag them home!

You'll know what

my

riddle means

When you've eaten mangosteens.

The Crab That Played with the Sea.

Pussy can sit by the fire and sing,

Pussy can climb a tree,

Or play with a silly old cork and string

To 'muse herself, not me.

But I like Binkie my dog, because

He knows how to behave;

So, Binkie's the same as the First Friend was,
And I am the Man in the Cave!

Pussy will play man-Friday till
It's time to wet her paw

And make her walk on the window-sill
(For the footprint Crusoe saw);
Then she fluffles her tail and mews,

And scratches and won't attend. -
But Binkie will play whatever I choose,
And he is my true First Friend!

Pussy will rub my knees with her head
Pretending she loves me hard;

But the very minute I go to my bed

Pussy runs out in the yard,

And there she stays till the morning-light;
So I know it is only pretend;

But Binkie, he snores at my feet all night,
And he is my Firstest Friend!

The Cat That Walked by Himself.

There was never a Queen like Balkis,
From here to the wide world's end;
But Balkis talked to a butterfly

As

you

would talk to a friend.

There was never a King like Solomon,
Not since the world began;
But Solomon talked to a butterfly

As a man would talk to a man.

She was Queen of Sabæa—

And he was Asia's Lord

But they both of 'em talked to butterflies

When they took their walks abroad!

The Butterfly That Stamped.

THE LOOKING-GLASS

(A Country Dance)

QUEEN Bess was Harry's daughter. Stand forward partners all!

ου

In ruff and stomacher and gown

She danced King Philip down-a down, And left her shoe to show 'twas true— (The very tune I'm playing you)

In Norgem at Brickwall!1

The Queen was in her chamber, and she was middling old,
Her petticoat was satin, and her stomacher was gold.
Backward and forward and sideways did she pass,
Making up her mind to face the cruel looking-glass.
The cruel looking-glass that will never show a lass
As comely or as kindly or as young as what she was!

Queen Bess was Harry's daughter. Now hand your partners all!

'A pair of Queen Elizabeth's shoes are still at Brickwall House, Northiam, Sussex.

The Queen was in her chamber, a-combing of her hair. There came Queen Mary's spirit and It stood behind her chair,

Singing "Backward and forward and sideways may you pass, But I will stand behind you till you face the looking-glass. The cruel looking-glass that will never show a lass

As lovely or unlucky or as lonely as I was!"

Queen Bess was Harry's daughter. Now turn your partners all!

The Queen was in her chamber, a-weeping very sore,

There came Lord Leicester's spirit and It scratched upon the door,

Singing "Backward and forward and sideways may you pass, But I will walk beside you till you face the looking-glass. The cruel looking-glass that will never show a lass,

As hard and unforgiving or as wicked as you was!"

Queen Bess was Harry's daughter. Now kiss your partners all!

The Queen was in her chamber, her sins were on her head.
She looked the spirits up and down and statelily she said:-
"Backward and forward and sideways though I've been,
Yet I am Harry's daughter and I am England's Queen!"
And she faced the looking-glass (and whatever else there was)
And she saw her day was over and she saw her beauty pass
In the cruel looking-glass, that can always hurt a lass
More hard than any ghost there is or any man there was!

THE QUEEN'S MEN

VALOUR and Innocence

Have latterly gone hence

To certain death by certain shame attended.

Envy-ah! even to tears!

The fortune of their years

Which, though so few, yet so divinely ended.

Scarce had they lifted up

Life's full and fiery cup,

Than they had set it down untouched before them.

Before their day arose

They beckoned it to close

Close in confusion and destruction o'er them.

They did not stay to ask

What prize should crown their task

Well sure that prize was such as no man strives for;

But passed into eclipse,

Her kiss upon their lips

Even Belphoebe's, whom they gave their lives for!

THE CITY OF SLEEP

VER the edge of the purple down,
Where the single lamplight gleams,
Know ye the road to the Merciful Town
That is hard by the Sea of Dreams-
Where the poor may lay their wrongs away,
And the sick may forget to weep?
But we pity us! Oh, pity us!

We wakeful; ah, pity us!—

We must go back with Policeman Day-
Back from the City of Sleep!

Weary they turn from the scroll and crown,

Fetter and prayer and plough

They that go up to the Merciful Town,
For her gates are closing now.

It is their right in the Baths of Night
Body and soul to steep,

But we-pity us! ah, pity us!

We wakeful; oh, pity us!

We must go back with Policeman Day—
Back from the City of Sleep!

Over the edge of the purple down,
Ere the tender dreams begin,

Look-we may look-at the Merciful Town,

But we may not enter in!

Outcasts all, from her guarded wall

Back to our watch we creep:

We-pity us! ah, pity us!

We wakeful; oh, pity us!—

We that go back with Policeman Day--
Back from the City of Sleep!

"HELEN ALL ALONE”

THERE was darkness under Heaven
For an hour's space-

Darkness that we knew was given
Us for special grace.

Sun and moon and stars were hid,
God had left His Throne,

When Helen came to me, she did,
Helen all alone!

Side by side (because our fate

Damned us ere our birth)

We stole out of Limbo Gate
Looking for the Earth.