| OCR Text |
Show THE CHROMO. 267 "' I acknowledge to a little surprise that so many of the invited surprisers failed to surprise, though when I look on the surprisers congregated, and take a mental inventory of their apparent fruit capacity, I can cheerfully accept the regrets of the absentees. "' My vocabulary is too meagre to thank you in fitting words for this spontaneous and enthusiastic outburst of respect, which I have accomplished only by a persistent effort; therefore I will have to look to other sources for aid. First, I will consult the lexicographers: "' But Webster fails in verbal lore, And Walker lived too long before Surprises had become the rage, (As 'tis a thing of modern age), And Worcester, tho' of recent date, Had no surprises in his pate; At least, so far as I can trace, He lacks in terms to treat this case. In this sad, sore dilemma, I Am forced for aid my muse to try, In order«that an answer meet, In fitting words, your speech may greet; A speech so tinged with genius' rays It takes me back to halcyon days Of boyhood, when, with speech the first On startled earth, my genius burst, The words were beautiful, altho' Tust what you meant, I do not know. * * * * * This chromo, with its scenes so rife, So fraught with incidents of life, Along its rugged mountain range, Where all is changeful, weird and strange, Conjures to memory's flickering light Scenes stored back in oblivion's night. The "bar" that sports the jackass ears, Rolls back on me a tide of years, And brings again the scenes afresh |
