A CALIFORNIAN ROMANCE
Know’st thou the burning lay of Dante’s own,
“Nix mangiare é il diavolo!
Ma peggior la donna?” that’s to say,
“ ’Tis hard to be hard up, but harder still
To get ahead of women.” Never much,
While in Night’s cushion stars like pin-heads shine.
Oh, listen to me, for the tale I tell
Is of Chicago, and the latest out,
And by the noble Tribune novelist.