Whimsicalities Author:Thomas Hood Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ON HER BIRTH-DAY. Dear Fanny! nine long years ago, While yet the morning sun was lew, And rosy with the Eastern glow The landscape smil'd— Whilst low'd th... more »e newly-wakened herds- Sweet as the early song of birds, I heard those first, delightful words, "Thou hast a Child!" Along with that uprising dew Tears glisten'd in my eyes, though few To hail a dawning quite as new To me, as Time: It was not sorrow—not annoy— But like a happy maid, though coy, With grief-like welcome even Joy Forestalls its prime. So mayst thou live, dear! many years, In all the bliss that life endears, Not without smiles, nor yet from tear Too strictly kept: When first thy infant littleness I folded in my fond caress, The greatest proof of happiness Was this—I wept. Sifflttltft. "AN OWBK TRUE TALE." CHAPTER I. Give him heedful note; For I mine eyes will rivet to his face; And after we will both our judgments join In censure of his seeming. Hamlct. " What is the matter with Mr. Pryme ?" The speaker was a tall, dark man, with grizzled hair, black eyes, a long nose, a wide mouth, and the commercial feature of a pen behind his right ear. He had several times asked himself the same question, but without any satisfactory solution, and now addressed it to a little sandy-haired man, who was standing with his back to the office fire. Both were clerks in a government office, as well as the party whose health or deportment was in- volved in the inquiry. " What is the matter with Mr. Pryme 3" " Heaven knows," said the sandy Mr. Phipps, at the same time lifting up his eyebrows towards the organs of wonder, and shrugging his shoulders. " You have observed how nervous and fidgety he is ?" To be sure. Look at the fireplace; he has done nothing all...« less