ou know it rained,
I'd been up late--at a ball--
Didn't know what else to do--
Went up and made Maud a call,
Found some other girl there, too,
They were playing a duet.
"Fred, my cousin, Nelly Deane,"--
Yes, Jack, there was my brunette;
You should just have seen me, Jack--
Now, old fellow, please don't laugh,
I feel bad about it--fact--
And I really can't stand chaff.
Well, I tried to talk to Maud,
There was Nell, though, sitting by;
Every now and then she'd laugh,
Sure I can't imagine why.
Maud would read that beastly poem,
Nell's eyes said in just one glance,
"Wont I make you pay for this,
If I ever get the chance!"
Some one came and rang the bell,
Just a note for Nell, by post.
Jack, I saw my monogram--
I'd have rather seen a ghost.
Yes--her verses--I suppose
That her folks had sent them down--
Couldn't get up there, you know--
Till she'd left and come to town.
Nelly looked them quickly through--
Laughed--by Jove, I thought she'd choke.
"Maud--he'll kill me--dear! oh, dear!--
Read that; isn't it a joke?"
Maud glanced through them--sank right down
On the sofa--hid her face--
"Crying!"--not much--laughing, Jack--
Don't think she's a hopeless case.
I just grabbed my hat and left--
Only wish I'd gone before.
How they laughed!--I heard them, Jack--
Till I got outside the door.
There, confession's done me good,
I can never win her back,
So I'll calmly let her slide--
Pass the ash-cup, will you, Jack.

FROST-BITTEN.

We were driving home from the "Patriarchs'"--
Molly Lefevre and I, you know;
The white flakes fluttered about our lamps;
Our wheels were hushed in the sleeping snow.

Her white arms nestled amid her furs;
Her hands half-held, with languid grace,
Her fading roses; fair to see
Was the dreamy look in her sweet, young face.

I watched her, saying never a word,
For I would not waken those dreaming eyes.
The breath of the roses filled the air,
And my thoughts were many, and far from wise.

At last I said to her, bending near,
"Ah, Molly Lefevre, how sweet 'twould be,
To ride on dreaming, all our lives,
Alone with the roses--you and me."

Her sweet lips faltered, her sweet eyes fell