TO JAMES WATSON SEWELL

BORN MARCH 31

(Acrostic)

JUST as boisterous, blust'ring March is dumb,
And knoweth full well that his hour hath come;
(Merry made he in his wild, wilful glee,
Encircling the valley, and bending the tree;
Smiling and scowling by turns now did he
W in the good-will of the frost-bound Earth,
As she opens her arms to welcome the birth,
That brings her soft showers, and sunshine, and
flowers ;)

So thou wisely waited not the few hours

Of dying-out March; thy Fate safely rules

Not to let thy début come on Day of All Fools. Securing a star more lucky to shine

E ver upon thee with soft rays divine.

When Night spreads her veil all over the sky, Even then thy good star, tho' hidden from eye, Lights its lustrous lamp; for thee surely burns, Loving and watching and warning by turns.

MISCELLANEOUS POEMS

TOO MODEST BY FAR

A KISS-IN-THE-RING INCIDENT

(Ballade)

THE ring was formed, a pretty sight
To see the maidens dark, and fair
Stand blushing, and pretending flight,
And make-believe the kisses were

Too much for modesty to bear;

And yet they slily wished for one;

And each girl longed her turn was there

To give a kiss when fairly won.

Among the merry group that night
A bashful swain refused to share
The blisses that were his by right;

To take a kiss he could not dare,
Before the world, and gaslight glare,

'Twere sacrilege in sight of sun!

'And, still,' he thought, ' why need I care

To give a kiss when fairly won?'