Blue Beard.

h OW mind what I have told you, dear, or else you’ll have to rue it ;
I’m not the man to say a thing, and then to never do it.

The worst of fancies in the world is that of being curious ;

I have no patience with such things, the bare thought makes me furious !

Don’t wait at dinner or at tea, I shan’t be home till supper ;

Now go and read some learned book—try Shakespeare’s Plays, or Tupper.’

Then mighty Blue Beard mounts his steed, a charger large and handsome,

One he had taken in exchange (I think, for a king’s ransom).

Away he rides, his giant size as he departs grows smaller.

‘Oh, where can sister Annie be? Here, Laura, go and call her.’

Fair Fatima had been a bride about a week, or thereabouts,

And had not seen the castle through ; yea, scarcely knew her whereabouts.

She lowers down a bunch of keys—oh, dear, there are so many !—

Resolving now to see it all to its remotest cranny

(Except, of course, the room forbid, the master’s lab’ratory—

His dark room with the chemicals, upon the second story).

So, though reading she delights in, her studies she defers,

Till mid-day’s heat a ramble now she very much prefers ;

And with her sister Annie starts on her way erratic,

Climbing the weary northern stairs to gain the top back-attic.

This reached, at length they are repaid for panting and much puffing,

By sight of dirty dismal rooms containing next to nothing.

But vast the prospect from that height, and truly worth the viewing,

Of hill and dale o’er many a mile—a country they're both new in.

They visit then the lower rooms, and these are filled with lumber,

Furniture rare but out of date, and pictures without number.

Descending then to early dine, they pass the lab’ratory,

A green-baize door with studded nails upon the second story.

‘I wonder what can be in here?’ and Annie paused to enter,

But Fatima rushed in between with some force to prevent her.

‘That room is private—Blue Beard’s, dear—to go there I’m forbidden ;

So early in my married life I don’t mean to be chidden.’