To "The Quiet Observer"
An appreciation—wherein the Jumbler indites the following to the space writer who quotes from him and Riley.
I sat me down in pride to gloat
Upon the column that you wrote,
In which you, sir, were pleased to quote
From me and Riley—
From me and him,
From me and Jim,
From me and Riley.
The tout ensemble did impel
My manly chest to heave and swell;
The combination "liked me well;"
Me, you and Riley.
It seemed a great
Triumvirate—
Me, You and Riley.
But soon in deep humility
My head was bowed, and I could see
The difference 'tween little me
And You and Riley.
I lacked the art
To touch the heart
Like you and Riley.
You seem to write with greatest ease,
Of cheerful mien, of birds and bees,
And out-of-doorsy things one sees—
And so does Riley.
With master-stroke,
To common folk
Write you and Riley.
I take a hack-saw and a square
And cut my rhymes with greatest care;
'Tis harder work for me, I swear,
Than you and Riley.
And yet I fail
To hit the nail
Like you and Riley.
You write in prose—a rhymer he—
And yet 't has always seemed to me
Your souls alike must surely be—
Yours, sir, and Riley's.
You love each thing
Of which you sing—
Do you and Riley.
