MISCELLANEOUS VERSES. XXXI 



THE BOSTON BABY SHOW. 



After TENNYSON. 



I WENT to our Gardens, CLAUDE, when the Boston babies were 



shown ; 



I went to our Gardens, CLAUDE, to criticise beauty and bone ; 

 And my cheerless bachelor lot I abhorred, and long'd to have one of 



my own. 



The Royal Harmonics I heard on the flute, violin, bassoon ; 



Each gay little Mammy -boy coo'd like a bird, while his Mammy 



humm'd it a tune ; 

 Each infant to nourishment never demurred, with cheeks like a harvest 



moon. 



Mothers and nurses a hundred and one, with their charges, sat in 



array, 

 But MARY ANN JACKSON reign'd not alone as the " PRETTIEST GIRL" 



that day ; 

 Full half of the voters bow'd at her throne, while half to her charms 



said "Nay," 

 For the heart from a stone or the veriest crone ELLEN BRIDGEMAN 



would steal away. 



Then I said to JOE MAWER, " Now JOE here goes, I'll bet you a 



bottle of wine, 

 Out of all his fat rivals in all those rows, your WILLIE will take the 



shine : 

 From the bridge of his nose to the tip of his toes, he'se the e FINEST 



BOY' of the fine." 



And the eight of the twin RAYS stirred the blood of MR. MANAGER 



SMALL, 

 So a three-guinea special prize he stood, for he bow'd to the public's 



call; 

 But ELIZABETH ANN was the tenderest bud, the " SMALLEST BABY" 



of aU. 



