ROBIN AND JENNIE. 



BY THOS. W. BUTTS. 



ROBIN waked early and quick' with his trilling, 

 He roused all the flowers, the birds and the day ; 



He sang of his Jennie, of joy and of billing, 

 Entrancing them all with his sweet roundel ay. 



And Jennie, his mate, on her nest sitting sweetly, 



Gave ear and full credit to ev'ry fond word, 

 While eying with motherly care and discreetly, 



Her young, and with wifely devotion, her loved. 



The callers were many to see Rob and Jennie, 



To hear Rob sing over his favorite lay ; 

 And after a good lively chat with dear Jennie, 



To fly aAvay home and come back the same day. 



'Twas not long before one ("Miss Pert" they called her), 

 Flew in, she said, "Just to see such rare bliss." 



Hospitably moved, Mrs. Jennie installed her 



In th' bough next the nest, from which Rob used to kiss. 



Rob ruffled his feathers and warbled his sweetest; 



"Such beauty!" thought Robin, "and such a fine eye!" 

 While Jennie thought too, her figure the neatest — 



"Like mine, when much younger," thought she, with a sigh. 



Escorting Miss Pert to her home in the clover, 



Rob thought her more charming than when at the nest, 



And sorry was he when the journey was over, 



Though pleased when she said "Now you must stop and rest!" 



'Twas late and quite dark when t'ward home Robin hurried, 

 And later, next day, when returning the call ; 



When giving the reason he seemed strangely flurried — 

 "I helped her find worms," said Robin, "That's all!" 



Each morn he flew oft* and returned in the gloaming; 



"I know he don't stay at that minx's all day — " 

 Said Jennie to neighbors, who told of his roaming, 



" — The stumpy mean thing!" "That she is!" they would say. 



