“Frankness, not flattery,” I murmured twice, “Let me remember it my own dear girl!” “I’ve seen you looking lovelier,” I said, “I like your hair best when it softly flows, Not piled in one big bunch upon your head-- The powder showed quite plainly on your nose.” Who was it said, “O, inconsistency, Thy name is woman?” Surely he was right, I spoke my thoughts, refrained from flattery, Lo, for reward comes this brief note to-night:
“I think to longer be engaged to you Would be a foolish thing, and very wrong.
Gray says he dreamed the whole night through Of me, and of my essay wise and strong. If you should call to night, at eight, pray bring My notes--and--and--the photo, and the curl, I will return your presents and your ring, To think, that _you_ should grow into a churl.”
I’m going to tell Minerva when we meet That it was just a little joke of mine, And nevermore--my cure is quite complete-- Will I believe a woman’s essay fine.
We send thee greetings on this morn in May, Long live the Queen, right fervently we pray! We daughters of this country young and fair Join all our voices, singing songs of thee, O may the words ring clearly on the air, And reach the island cradled in the sea. Our Queen! lo, at the words a thrill of pride, Of tenderness, and trust springs into life. Our Queen, who rules so well her kingdom wide, Our Queen, so soft in peace, so bold in strife.
Our Queen! the love of loyal hearts we give, We join our voices and we proudly say, God bless the sweetest Woman--and long live The greatest Ruler in the world to-day!
“The fine new kirk is finished, wife--the old has had its day, ’Tis like ourselves, a trifle worn, and out of date, and gray.
Stained windows and a tower high--I like not such a show, Beside the cost is something great, and money does not grow. Now when they come to me for help I’m going to tell them, plain, That since they’ve built to please themselves they’ll ask my help in vain.”
Then sat the woman at his side: “’Tis meet God’s house should be As good a one as we can give,” she answered tenderly. “And we who’ve worshipped all the years in that old church so gray, Should go with songs, and thankful hearts, into the new to-day. For think of all the precious hours we have had over there-- The hours of penitence and tears, the hours of peace and prayer.