Nothing to Eat | Page 9

finish with Burdell and
Cunningham deeds;
Where daughters when fading are taken to spend

A month at the springs, or a week in salt water;
Where bachelors
flirting on Ellen attend,
Are whispered by mamma, "engaged to my
daughter."

He Imploreth Merry for other Unfortunate Beings.
Now heaven in mercy be kind to the wretches
Who stay on the earth
like this Mrs. Merdle!
More wretched than ever a wretch on the hurdle
Was drawn by all
England's official Jack Ketches;
More wretched, if can be, at church
on a Sunday
A woman, who worships, than God, more her dress,

Would be if she heard or e'en thought Mrs. Grundy
Would sneer at
the set of a bonnet or tress;
Or say that she thought Miss Freelove's
new pattern
Of laces, or collars, or yard flowing sleeves,
Looked
more like the dress of a real Miss Slattern
And not "so becoming"'s
the first one of Eve's.
He Discourseth of a Common Prayer.
Yet look at the thousands whose every day prayer,
Far more than
their own or their neighbor's salvation,
Absorbs every thought, every
dream, and all care,
"To eat or to wear, is anything new in creation?"
He Discourseth of Trouble and Sorrow.
What else do they live for? They live but for this;
And nothing but
this ever troubles their thinking;
Rich eating, rich dressing, and
flirting's their bliss,
And life's better purposes constantly blinking.
Their life's but a tissue of trouble and sorrow
Of what is the fashion
or will be to-morrow.
He Moralizeth upon what a Day may Bring forth.
"To-morrow!" who'll warrant to-morrow we'll see?
Who'll care the next day or day after for dinner?
Or what the next fashion of new dress will be?

Or who Mrs. Grundy will say is the winner?
Having reached Thirtysixthly, the Author is
about to Make the
"Application," and Pray
forgiveness, but concludes by remaining
Incog.
"Who'll care for, to-morrow, for this bit of scandal,
With malice
prepense that a cynic has written?
(That's what they will say when the poem they handle,
Who feel 'tis
themselves whom the mad dog has bitten;
And wish he was treated as
dogs with the rabies
Are treated, to stop his unmannerly bark;
Or
packed off to bed as you do naughty babies,
To sleep, or be
frightened all alone in the dark.)
Who'll care? why the author of this ugly poem--
He'll care--for a
reason--that all of you read it--
He'll care for the cash you'll give--Oh!
how he needs it--
(Oh! what would you give, ladies dear, just to know
him?--)
But that, by your leave, by the aid of the elf
The printer employs, he
will keep to himself.
He knows, if you knew him, what fate he would meet;
At every table
you'd give him--nothing to eat.
Excuse then, dear ladies, the author his shyness,
And accept his conge
at the end of this
FINIS.
End of Project Gutenberg's Nothing to Eat, by Horatio Alger
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