Wherever maidens may be found
Dan Cupid’s sure to wander round,
I found him once, the little fool,
Attending on a cooking-school. 
The scholars only laughed and smiled,
And cried:  “How sweet, how smart a child!”
He kept his wings close hid, yet I
Remembered him from days gone by,
And, stepping up, I whispered this: 
“My boy, compound for me a kiss.” 
His face grew thoughtful, then the rogue
Lisped out:  “Well, this is most in vogue: 
An acorn-cup of sugar first,
Sprinkle quite well with bubbles burst,
Then add a pinch of down that lies
All over June’s brown butterflies. 
Mix well, and take, to stir it up,
The stem of one long buttercup. 
But, sir, you ne’er can taste a mite
Until I add the appetite.” 
Whereat, ere I could turn to start,
I saw—­I felt the flashing dart.

FREDERIC LAWRENCE KNOWLES.
Olla Podrida.

Sub-Mistletoe.

    We two stood near
    The chandelier,
With mistletoe upon it. 
    A lovely girl,
    My head awhirl,
Her wrap—­I’ll help her don it.

    A button caught;
    I surely ought
To help, when she’d begun it. 
    A pause, a hush,
    A kiss, a blush,
And now, by Jove, I’ve done it!

Lehigh Burr.

She Sayeth “No."

She sayeth “No”—­my lady fair—­
And lightly laughs at my despair. 
  She quick evades my least caress,
  Nor grants to me a single tress
From out her wealth of golden hair.

Yet to her cheeks creeps crimson rare,
When I for her my love declare. 
  But while her blue eyes tell me “Yes,”
        She sayeth “No.”

The maid well knows I would not dare
Try to escape her gentle snare. 
  And, if I really must confess,
  I own I trust her lips far less
Than her blue eyes beyond compare. 
       She sayeth “No.”

BERTRAND A. SMALLEY.
Dartmouth Literary Monthly.

Silhouettes.

Grandma’s shadow on the wall,
Graceful figure, slim and tall,
Shadow of a maiden fair,
Lofty head, with rippling hair,
Nose “la Grecque” from Hebe stole: 
Charming, very, on the whole,
Is this shadow on the wall,
Fifty years ago,—­that’s all.

Grandpa’s shadow on the wall,
Straight this shadow is, and tall;
(Nose “la Roman,” we might say)
Stately mien, and courtly way;
Now it’s deeply bowing, oh! 
But see! for kneeling low
Is this shadow on the wall,
Fifty years ago,—­that’s all.

* * * *

Grandma’s shadow on the wall,
Bent this figure is, not tall;
Shadow in a rocking-chair,
Rocking gently,—­now with care;
Now it nodding, nodding seems. 
Do you think this shadow dreams
Of some shadows on the wall
Fifty years ago,—­that’s all?

ANNIE KNOWLTON PILLSBURY.
Mount Holyoke.