At the Sign of the Sphinx. Second series

AT THE SIGN OF THE SPHINX
BY CAROLYN WELLS
“Heyday a Riddle! Neither good nor bad!” King Richard III. iv. 4.
SECOND SERIES
NEW YORK DUFFIELD & COMPANY 1906
Copyright, 1906, by DUFFIELD & COMPANY ——— Published August, 1906 TO WILLIAM BELLAMY

T HE time has come. The waiting populace Breathlessly watch him as he slowly mounts The scaffold. Though his timid, trembling steps Betoken fear, with calm and steady gaze He sees my whole above his head. So bright! So glittering! On that his eyes are fixed. Garbed all in white, a rope about his waist, My first upon his feet; silent, although He suffers agonies untold. But hark! He calls for drink. By some kind hand is passed To him a brimming tumbler, and within He sees my last and he is glad. He drinks, Then once again turns to my whole. Brave man! He fears not death, but murmurs to himself: “This only I desire, that when I die Men say I did my work and did it well.”
T HE scene was merry, bright and gay As I came to my first one day. Beside my last I saw a lass Dispense refreshment in a glass. She was my first. “My last,” said I, “I ’ll take a drink, for I am dry.” Smiling, as she the goblet passed, She said, “Here you my first my last.” “My whole,” said I, “ere I depart, I ’ll say that there is in my heart (Just here the word must be reversed—) A wish for your my last my first.”
M Y first is now before us, my second is here too; My whole is now here also,—and yet that ’s not quite true. My first is,—no, what is it? That is for you to say; And where ’s my second, tell me, yes, tell me that, I pray, And I will tell you truly, that though you look around, You cannot see my whole because it ’s nowhere to be found.

T HE dusky shadows deepened and the night was drawing on, A weary maiden watched my dying first, so nearly gone; She mused awhile in silence, then to herself she spake, “Ah, me, but when to-morrow dawns I know my first will break.”