TO MARJORIE.
(An Imaginary Name of a Child Friend.)
Dear little maid, who in the Circle train
Sat so demurely, daintily arrayed
In sweet old-fashioned garment of delane—
Dear little maid.
Your merry smile, your laugh all unafraid
Made me forget the daily stress and strain.
To earth your childish prattle quickly laid
The phantoms that to middle age bring pain,
And life seemed more attractive, not so staid.
Oh! some day soon ride with me once again,
Dear little maid.
"How are you off for ——?"—Messrs. A. and F. P-rs, a name which rhymes to the first and final word of the line, "Tears, idle Tears" (by the way, what a delightful song for a Radical to sing, "Peers, idle Peers!"), write to Mr. Punch, informing him of the supreme excellence of the P-rs' Christmas Number, asking him to notice it, as he probably would do, in his pages, and adding that "it is already out of print." Then what is the use of drawing attention to it? Of course, if being out of print makes it the more valuable, then lucky are the possessors of original specimens, and well indeed are they off for the material for which the Upper House or House of P-rs is famed.
The Silk Industry (not from the Board of Trade Returns).—Mr. J. F. Leese, Q.C., M.P., appointed Recorder of Manchester. Mr. Punch wishes this capital cricketer a long innings, and may Manchester have a Leese that will run for any number of years without expiring.