As I was going to St. Ives’
I met seven wives;
Each wife had seven sacks,
Each sack had seven cats,
Each cat had seven kits,—
Kits, cats, sacks and wives,
How many were going to St. Ives’?
Helen, after sitting an hour, dressed for a walk, at length set out alone, leaving the following laconic note for the friend who, she had expected, would accompany her: