Hear the hasty dinner-bells—

Frantic bells!

What a tale of hunger now their turbulency tells!

The fires are blazing bright,

The cooking is all right,

But I scarce can breathe or speak,

I’m so bothered all the week—

Don’t have a bit of rest—

Through the clamourous appealing of some gormandising guest,

And in mild expostulation to his deaf and frantic ire,