soon sped the letter—thanks to modern plans,

our english mails run little in the style

of those great german wild-beast caravans,

eil-wagons—tho’ they do not “go like ile,”—

but take a good twelve minutes to the mile—

on monday morning, just at ten o’clock,

as ellen humm’d “the young may moon” the while,

her ear was startled by that double knock

which thrills the nerves like an electric shock!

[pg 304]

her right hand instantly forgot its cunning,

and down into the street it dropt, or flung,

right on the hat and wig of mr. gunning,

the jug that o’er her ten-week stocks had hung;

then down the stairs by twos and threes she sprung,

and through the passage like a burglar darted.

alas! how sanguine are the fond and young—

she little thought, when with the coin she parted,

she paid a sixpence to be broken-hearted!