22
For at the chamber door was heard
A soft and gentle rap:
Cried Betty, "Who is at the door?"
"Ay, tell," quoth Chloe, "true"
When straight a tender voice replied,
“Dear ma'am, I dye for you."
"What's that!" she said, “O, Betty, say!
A man! and die for me!
And can I see the youth expire--
O, no!--it must not be!
"Haste, Betty-open quick the door;"
'Tis done; and, lo! to view,
A little man with bundle stood,
In sleeves and apron blue.
"Ye powers!" eried Chloe, "what is this?
What vision do I see!
Is this the man, O mighty Love--
The man that dies for me?"
"Yes, ma'am; your ladyship is right,"
The figure straight replied;
"And hard for me it would have been
If I had never dyed.
"La! ma'am, you must have heard of me,
Although I'm no highflyer;
I live just by at No. 1,
I'm Billy Dip, the dyer.
"'Twas , ma'am, Betty there employed
To dye your lustring gown;
And I not only dye for you,
But dye for all the town."
--------
T H E T W O S T A M M E R E R S.
While others fluent verse abuse,
And prostitute the Comic muse;
In less indecent manner, I
Her Comic Ladyship will try.
