His temporary fever-nest
Should catch a deadly one—the rest
Is easily conjectur'd.
'Twas hard, on father's death, I think,
That Elsie's mother took to drink;
('Twas harder yet on baby.)
The reason, reader, you may guess,
(I cannot find it, I confess)—
Perhaps it was her loneliness;
Or love of gin, it may be.