Climbed on the dial, teased the fish,
And chased the kitten round the beeches,
Till widening instincts made me wish
For certain slowly-ripening peaches.

Three peaches. Not the Graces three
Had more equality of beauty:
I would not look, yet went to see;
I wrestled with Desire and Duty:
I felt the pangs of those who feel
The Laws of Property beset them;
The conflict made my reason reel,

And, half-abstractedly, I ate them ;

Or Two of them. Forthwith DespairMore keen that one of these was rotten-Moved me to seek some forest lair

Where I might hide and dwell forgotten, Attired in skins, by berries stained,

Absolved from brushes and ablution ;—

But, ere my sylvan haunt was gained,
Fate gave me up to execution.

I saw it all but now. The grin

That gnarled old Gardener Sandy's features; My father, scholar-like and thin,

Unroused, the tenderest of creatures;

I saw-ah me— -I saw again

My dear and deprecating mother; And then, remembering the cane, Regretted that I'd left the Other.

✓ TU QUOQUE

AN IDYLL IN THE CONSERVATORY

66 - romprons-nous,

Ou ne romprons-nous pas ?"

-LE DÉPIT AMOUREUX,

NELLIE,

IF I were you, when ladies at the play, sir,
Beckon and nod, a melodrama through,
I would not turn abstractedly away, sir,
If I were you!

FRANK.

If I were you, when persons I affected,

Wait for three hours to take me down to Kew, I would, at least, pretend I recollected,

If I were you!

NELLIE.

If I were you, when ladies are so lavish,
Sir, as to keep me every waltz but two,
I would not dance with odious Miss M'Tavish,
If I were you!

FRANK.

If I were you, who vow you cannot suffer
Whiff of the best,—the mildest "honey-dew,"
I would not dance with smoke-consuming Puffer,
If I were you!

NELLIE

If I were you, I would not, sir, be bitter,
Even to write the " Cynical Review";—

FRANK.

No, I should doubtless find flirtation fitter,
If I were you!

NELLIE.

Really! You would? Why, Frank, you're quite delightful,

Hot as Othello, and as black of hue; Borrow my fan. I would not look so frightful, If I were you!

FRANK.

"It is the cause." I mean your chaperon is
Bringing some well-curled juvenile. Adieu!
I shall retire. I'd spare that poor Adonis,
If I were you!

Go, if you will.

NELLIE.

At once! And by express, sir! Where shall it be? To China-or Peru? Go. I should leave inquirers my address, sir, If I were you!

FRANK.

No, I remain. To stay and fight a duel

Seems, on the whole, the proper thing to do;Ah, you are strong,-I would not then be cruel, If I were you!

NELLIE.

One does not like one's feelings to be doubted,

FRANK.

One does not like one's friends to misconstrue,—

NELLIE.

If I confess that I a wee-bit pouted ?—

FRANK.

I should admit that I was piqué, too,

Ask me to dance!

If I were you!

NELLIE.

I'd say no more about it,

[Waltz-Exeunt.

A DIALOGUE FROM PLATO

"Le temps le mieux employé est celui qu'on perd." -CLAUDE TILLIER.

"D"read" three hours. Both notes and text

I'D

Were fast a mist becoming;

In bounced a vagrant bee, perplexed,

And filled the room with humming,

Then out.

The casement's leafage sways,

And, parted light, discloses

Miss Di., with hat and book,-a maze

Of muslin mixed with roses.

"You're reading Greek?" "I am—and you?” "O, mine's a mere romancer!" "So Plato is." "Then read him-do; And I'll read mine in answer."

I read. "My Plato (Plato, too,

That wisdom thus should harden!) Declares blue eyes look doubly blue Beneath a Dolly Varden.'"

She smiled.

"My book in turn avers

(No author's name is stated)

That sometimes those Philosophers
Are sadly mis-translated."