New Hampshire Statesman And Concord Register

POETRY.

MR. KENT—

The fashionable scandal of tea-parties is very
well described in the following poem selected
from the works of the late Jane Taylor, and
offered for publication in your valuable paper.

H.

"RECREATION."

—We took our work, and went, you see
To take an early cup of tea;
We did so, now and then, to pay
The friendly debt, and so did they.
Not that our friendship burnt so bright
That all the world could see the light;
Twas of the ordinary genus,
And little love was lost between us:
We lov'd I think, about as true
As such near neighbors mostly do.
At first we all were somewhat dry;
Mamma felt cold, and so did I :
Indeed, that room, sit where you will,
Has draught enough to turn a mill.
I hope you're warm,' says Mrs. G.
O, quite so,' says mamma, says she;
I'll take my shawl off by and by!
This room is always warm, says I.
At last the tea came up, and so
With that our tongues began to go ;
Now, in that house you're sure of knowing
The smallest scrap of news, that's going:
We find it there the wisest way
To take some care of what we say.
-Says she, there's dreadful doings still
In that affair about the will ;
For now the folks in Brewer's street,
Don't speak to James, when they meet.
Poor Mrs. Sam sits all alone,
And frets herself to skin and bone.
For months she manag'd she declares,
All the old gentleman's affairs;
And always let him have his way,
And never left him night or day;
Waited and watched his every look,
And gave him every drop he took.
Dear Mrs. Sam, it was too bad!
He might have left her all he had.
Pray ma'am,' says I, 'has poor Miss A.
Been left as handsome as they say ?'
My dear,' says she,' 'tis no such thing,
She'd nothing but a mourning ring,
But is it not uncommon mean,
To wear that rusty bombazeen?'
She had,' says I, 'the very same,
Three years ago, for—what's his name ?'-
The Duke of Brunswick,—very true,
And has not had a thread of new,
"I'm positive said Mrs. G
so then we laugh'd and drank our tea.
So,' says mamma, 'I find it's true
What Captain P. intends to do;
To hire that house or else to buy
Close to the tan-yard, ma'am,' says I;
Upon my word it's very strange,
I wish they may'nt repent the change!'
My dear,' says she,' 'tis very well
You know if they can bear the smell.
Miss F.' says I, 'is said to be
A sweet young woman, Mrs. G.'
O excellent! I hear,' she cried;
O truly so!' mamma replied.
How old should you suppose her, pray?
She's older than she looks, they say.
Really, says I, she seems to me
Not more than twenty-two or three.
O then you're wrong,' says Mrs. G.
Their upper servant told our Jane,
She'll not see twenty-nine again.'
Indeed, so old ! I wonder why
She does not marry, then, says I;
So many thousands to bestow
And such a beauty too you know.
A beauty! O my dear Miss B.
You must be joking, now, says she;
Her figure's rather pretty,'--Ah!
That's what I say, replied mamma.
Miss F. says I, I've understood
Spends all her time in doing good:
The people say her coming down
Is quite a blessing to the town,
At that our hostess fetch'd a sigh,
And shook her head : and so says I,
It's very kind of her, I'm sure,
To be so generous to the poor.
No doubt,' says she, ' 'tis very true;
Perhaps there may be reasons too:-
You know some people like to pass
For patrons with the lower class.
And here I break my story's thread
Just to remark that what she said,
Although I took the other part,
Went like a cordial to my heart.
Some innuendoes more had pass'd
Till out the scandal came at last.
Come then, I'll tell you something more,
Says she,-'Eliza, shut the door.-
I would not trust a creature here,
For all the world, but you, my dear.
Perhaps it's false--I wish it may,
-But let it go no further, pray !'
O,' says mamma, 'you need not fear
We never mention what we hear.'
Indeed we shall not, Mrs. G.
Says I, again impatiently:
And so, we drew our chairs the nearer,
And whispering lest the child should hear her,
She told a tale at least too long
To be repeated in a song;
We panting every breath between,
With curiosity and spleen,
And how did we enjoy the sport!
And echo every faint report,
And answer every candid doubt,
And turn her motives inside out,
And holes in all her virtues pick
Till we were sated, almost sick.
-Thus having brought it to a close,
In great good humour, we arose ;
Indeed, 'twas more than time to go,
Our boy had been an hour below,
So warmly pressing Mrs. G.
To fix a day to come to tea,
We muffled up in cloak and plaid
And trotted home behind the lad.