Volume Iv Part 51 (1/2)

V.--(Browning) Tut! Bah! We take as another case-- Pa.s.s the pills on the window-sill; notice the capsule (A sick man's fancy, no doubt, but I place Reliance on trade-marks, Sir)--so perhaps you'll Excuse the digression--this cup which I hold Light-poised--Bah, it's spilt in the bed--well, let's on go-- Hold Bohea and sugar, Sir; if you were told The sugar was salt, would the Bohea be Congo?

VI.--(Wordsworth) ”Come, little cottage girl, you seem To want my cup of tea; And will you take a little cream?

Now tell the truth to me.”

She had a rustic, woodland grin, Her cheek was soft as silk, And she replied, ”Sir, please put in A little drop of milk.”

”Why, what put milk into your head?

'Tis cream my cows supply;”

And five times to the child I said, ”Why, pig-head, tell me, why?”

”You call me pig-head,” she replied; ”My proper name is Ruth.

I called that milk”--she blushed with pride-- ”You bade me speak the truth.”

VII.--(Poe) Here's a mellow cup of tea--golden tea!

What a world of rapturous thought its fragrance brings to me!

Oh, from out the silver cells How it wells!

How it smells!

Keeping tune, tune, tune, To the tintinnabulation of the spoon.

And the kettle on the fire Boils its spout off with desire, With a desperate desire And a crystalline endeavor Now, now to sit, or never, On the top of the pale-faced moon, But he always came home to tea, tea, tea, tea, tea, Tea to the n-th.