London Lyrics — Miss Edith

MISS EDITH

AN EXTRAVAGANZA

Miss Edith lifts the latch with care, And now she must brave the chill night air.

She has violet eyes and ruby lips, A dancing shape--and away she skips;

She hies to the haunt of a hermit weird, With flaming eyes and a forky beard, A shocking wizard--who, gossips say, Has dwelt in his cavern a year to-day.

"O, ancient man!

I am filled with fear, My lover has left me full a year.

'I swear to return in a year,' said he, 'Or question the man of mystery.

Your eyes are blue, and your lips are red;

I swear, my love, to come back,' he said.

O, fearsome man!

I pray of you, Can he prove so false whom I think so true?"

"O, daughter fair!

I am sad to say That young men now and then betray: Thy lover, I wis, has thy trust betray'd, For he presently woos a witching maid: Her eyes are blue, and, I tell thee this, She has tempting lips that he fain would kiss;

But courage, my child, thou mayst yet discover A clue to the heart of this worthless lover."

He mutter'd, when thus he the maid had cheer'd, A strange sound that was drown'd in the forky beard;

Then all around loud thunders broke, And the cave was wrapp'd in fire and smoke, And that fearsome man has disappear'd With his flaming eyes and his forky beard;

And Edith weeps in rapture sweet To find her lover at her feet!

A GLIMPSE OF GRETNA GREEN, IN THE DISTANCE

"My Kate, at the Waterloo column, To-morrow, precisely at eight;

Remember, thy promise was solemn, And--thine till to-morrow, my Kate!"