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The Bab Ballads
But she said； 〃It isn't polar bears； or hot volcanic grottoes： Only find
out who it is that writes those lovely cracker mottoes！〃
PART II。
〃Tell me； HENRY WADSWORTH； ALFRED POET CLOSE； or
MISTER TUPPER； Do you write the bon bon mottoes my ELVIRA pulls
at supper？〃
But HENRY WADSWORTH smiled； and said he had not had that
honour； And ALFRED； too； disclaimed the words that told so much upon
her。
〃MISTER MARTIN TUPPER； POET CLOSE； I beg of you inform
us；〃 But my question seemed to throw them both into a rage enormous。
MISTER CLOSE expressed a wish that he could only get anigh to me；
And MISTER MARTIN TUPPER sent the following reply to me：
〃A fool is bent upon a twig； but wise men dread a bandit；〃 … Which I
know was very clever； but I didn't understand it。
Seven weary years I wandered … Patagonia； China； Norway； Till at last
I sank exhausted at a pastrycook his doorway。
There were fuchsias and geraniums； and daffodils and myrtle； So I
entered； and I ordered half a basin of mock turtle。
He was plump and he was chubby； he was smooth and he was rosy；
And his little wife was pretty and particularly cosy。
And he chirped and sang； and skipped about； and laughed with
laughter hearty … He was wonderfully active for so very stout a party。
And I said； 〃O gentle pieman； why so very； very merry？ Is it purity of
conscience； or your one…and…seven sherry？〃
But he answered； 〃I'm so happy … no profession could be dearer … If I
am not humming 'Tra！ la！ la！' I'm singing 'Tirer； lirer！'
〃First I go and make the patties； and the puddings； and the jellies； Then
I make a sugar bird…cage； which upon a table swell is；
〃Then I polish all the silver； which a supper…table lacquers； Then I
write the pretty mottoes which you find inside the crackers。〃 …
〃Found at last！〃 I madly shouted。 〃Gentle pieman； you astound me！〃
Then I waved the turtle soup enthusiastically round me。
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The Bab Ballads
And I shouted and I danced until he'd quite a crowd around him … And
I rushed away exclaiming； 〃I have found him！ I have found him！〃
And I heard the gentle pieman in the road behind me trilling； 〃'Tira；
lira！' stop him； stop him！ 'Tra！ la！ la！' the soup's a shilling！〃
But until I reached ELVIRA'S home； I never； never waited； And
ELVIRA to her FERDINAND'S irrevocably mated！
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The Bab Ballads
Ballad： Lorenzo De Lardy
DALILAH DE DARDY adored The very correctest of cards；
LORENZO DE LARDY； a lord … He was one of Her Majesty's Guards。
DALILAH DE DARDY was fat； DALILAH DE DARDY was old …
（No doubt in the world about that） But DALILAH DE DARDY had gold。
LORENZO DE LARDY was tall； The flower of maidenly pets； Young
ladies would love at his call； But LORENZO DE LARDY had debts。
His money…position was queer； And one of his favourite freaks Was to
hide himself three times a year； In Paris； for several weeks。
Many days didn't pass him before He fanned himself into a flame； For
a beautiful 〃DAM DU COMPTWORE；〃 And this was her singular name：
ALICE EULALIE CORALINE EUPHROSINE COLOMBINA
THERESE JULIETTE STEPHANIE CELESTINE CHARLOTTE RUSSE
DE LA SAUCE MAYONNAISE。
She booked all the orders and tin； Accoutred in showy fal…lal； At a
two…fifty Restaurant； in The glittering Palais Royal。
He'd gaze in her orbit of blue； Her hand he would tenderly squeeze；
But the words of her tongue that he knew Were limited strictly to these：
〃CORALINE CELESTINE EULALIE； Houp le！ Je vous aime； oui；
mossoo； Combien donnez moi aujourd'hui Bonjour； Mademoiselle； parlez
voo。〃
MADEMOISELLE DE LA SAUCE MAYONNAISE Was a witty and
beautiful miss； Extremely correct in her ways； But her English consisted
of this：
〃Oh my！ pretty man； if you please； Blom boodin； biftek； currie lamb；
Bouldogue； two franc half； quite ze cheese； Rosbif； me spik Angleesh；
godam。〃
A waiter； for seasons before； Had basked in her beautiful gaze； And
burnt to dismember MILOR； HE LOVED DE LA SAUCE
MAYONNAISE。
He said to her； 〃Mechante THERESE； Avec desespoir tu m'accables。
Penses…tu； DE LA SAUCE MAYONNAISE； Ses intentions sont
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honorables？
〃Flirtez toujours； ma belle； si tu oses … Je me vengerai ainsi； ma chere；
JE LUI DIRAI DE QUOI L'ON COMPOSE VOL AU VENT E LA
FINANCIERE！〃
LORD LARDY knew nothing of this … The waiter's devotion ignored；
But he gazed on the beautiful miss； And never seemed weary or bored。
The waiter would screw up his nerve； His fingers he'd snap and he'd
dance … And LORD LARDY would smile and observe； 〃How strange are
the customs of France！〃
Well； after delaying a space； His tradesmen no longer would wait：
Returning to England apace； He yielded himself to his fate。
LORD LARDY espoused； with a groan； MISS DARDY'S developing
charms； And agreed to tag on to his own； Her name and her newly…found
arms。
The waiter he knelt at the toes Of an ugly and thin coryphee； Who
danced in the hindermost rows At the Theatre des Varietes。
MADEMOISELLE DE LA SAUCE MAYONNAISE Didn't yield to a
gnawing despair But married a soldier； and plays As a pretty and pert
Vivandiere。
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The Bab Ballads
Ballad： Disillusioned … By An Ex…
Enthusiast
Oh； that my soul its gods could see As years ago they seemed to me
When first I painted them； Invested with the circumstance Of old
conventional romance： Exploded theorem！
The bard who could； all men above； Inflame my soul with songs of
love； And； with his verse； inspire The craven soul who feared to die With
all the glow of chivalry And old heroic fire；
I found him in a beerhouse tap Awaking from a gin…born nap； With
pipe and sloven dress； Amusing c