And that's how I lost her-a jewel, Incognita-one in a crowd,

Not prudent enough to be cruel,

Not worldly enough to be proud. It was just a shut lid and its lashes, Just a few hours in a train,

And I sorrow in sackcloth and ashes, Longing to see her again.

DORA VERSUS ROSE

FROM

DORA VERSUS ROSE

"The Case is proceeding."

ROM the tragic-est novels at Mudie's-
At least, on a practical plan—

To the tales of mere Hodges and Judys,
One love is enough for a man.

But no case that I ever yet met is
Like mine: I am equally fond
Of Rose, who a charming brunette is,

And Dora, a blonde.

Each rivals the other in powers

Each waltzes, each warbles, each paints— Miss Rose, chiefly tumble-down towers; Miss Do., perpendicular saints.

In short, to distinguish is folly;

"Twixt the pair I am come to the pass Of Macheath, between Lucy and Polly,Or Buridan's ass.

If it happens that Rosa I've singled
For a soft celebration in rhyme,
Then the ringlets of Dora get mingled
Somehow with the tune and the time;

Or I painfully pen me a sonnet

To an eyebrow intended for Do.'s, And behold I am writing upon it

The legend "To Rose."

Or I try to draw Dora (my blotter
Is all overscrawled with her head),
If I fancy at last that I've got her,
It turns to her rival instead ;
Or I find myself placidly adding
To the rapturous tresses of Rose
Miss Dora's bud-mouth, and her madding,
Ineffable nose.

Was there ever so sad a dilemma?
For Rose I would perish (pro tem.);
For Dora I'd willingly stem a—
(Whatever might offer to stem);
But to make the invidious election,—
To declare that on either one's side
I've a scruple, a grain, more affection,

I cannot decide.

And, as either so hopelessly nice is,
My sole and my final resource
Is to wait some indefinite crisis,-
Some feat of molecular force,
To solve me this riddle conducive

By no means to peace or repose,
Since the issue can scarce be inclusive
Of Dora and Rose.

DORA VERSUS ROSE

(Afterthought.)

But, perhaps, if a third (say a Norah),
Not quite so delightful as Rose,—
Not wholly so charming as Dora,-

Should appear, is it wrong to suppose,—
As the claims of the others are equal,-

And flight in the main-is the best,That I might . . . But no matter,—the sequel Is easily guessed.

I

AD ROSAM

"Mitte sectari, Rosa quo locorum
Sera moretur."-HOR. L. 38.

HAD a vacant dwelling-
Where situated, I,

As naught can serve the telling,
Decline to specify ;—
Enough 'twas neither haunted,
Entailed, nor out of date;
I put up "Tenant Wanted,"
And left the rest to Fate.

Then, Rose, you passed the window,— I see you passing yet,—

Ah, what could I within do,

When, Rose, our glances met!
You snared me, Rose, with ribbons,
Your rose-mouth made me thrall,
Brief-briefer far than Gibbon's,
my "Decline and Fall."

Was

I heard the summons spoken
That all hear-king and clown:
You smiled-the ice was broken;
You stopped-the bill was down.