“The friend (excuse these natural tears)
Whom I proposed has long been dead.”
And when at last in Charon’s wherry,
It was the sponsor’s turn to stand
His friend came down to meet the ferry
A phantom niblick in his hand.
“Welcome to Hades,” thus the shade
In hollow-sounding accents spoke
Then spied a puff-ball and essayed
To loft it, but he muffed his stroke.