40
Not Understood
The golden towers of hope spring up before him in his dreaming,
Beside him stands a man whose soul ne’er rises o’er a bale
Or package: still his busy brain for wealth is ever scheming—
With restless eager eye he waits advices by the mail.
That matron with the cheerful smile, who leads the pretty fairy
With flaxen curls, expects a loving message from afar,—
“Oh, Mother! What will Granny send this mail to little Mary?”
And here’s a man who want to know if “Railways” are at par;
Those mushroom politicians are discussing Europe’s troubles;
Miss Lackadaisy’s eager for Miss Braddon’s latest tale;
And Swindleton is wond’ring if some antipodean bubbles
Would float upon the London mart, while waiting for the mail.
An hour hence, and some will leave the office quite elated,
And some until another mail must linger in suspense,
Whilst others, more unfortunate, to disappointment fated,
Will swear all friendship is a sham, and love a false pretence;
Bright sparks of hope are oft convoyed in some slight simple token,
To light the spirit onward, till “there’s no such word as fail;”
And after the “delivery” true hearts are sometimes broken;
But still we nurse each cherished wish, whilst waiting for the mail.
Beside him stands a man whose soul ne’er rises o’er a bale
Or package: still his busy brain for wealth is ever scheming—
With restless eager eye he waits advices by the mail.
That matron with the cheerful smile, who leads the pretty fairy
With flaxen curls, expects a loving message from afar,—
“Oh, Mother! What will Granny send this mail to little Mary?”
And here’s a man who want to know if “Railways” are at par;
Those mushroom politicians are discussing Europe’s troubles;
Miss Lackadaisy’s eager for Miss Braddon’s latest tale;
And Swindleton is wond’ring if some antipodean bubbles
Would float upon the London mart, while waiting for the mail.
An hour hence, and some will leave the office quite elated,
And some until another mail must linger in suspense,
Whilst others, more unfortunate, to disappointment fated,
Will swear all friendship is a sham, and love a false pretence;
Bright sparks of hope are oft convoyed in some slight simple token,
To light the spirit onward, till “there’s no such word as fail;”
And after the “delivery” true hearts are sometimes broken;
But still we nurse each cherished wish, whilst waiting for the mail.
