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MASTERPIECES OF AMERICAN HUMOR
31
Of fashion and beauty and money,
That I should be thinking, right there,
Of some one who breasted high water,
And swam the North Fork, and all that,
Just to dance with old Folinsbee's daughter,
The Lily of Poverty Flat.
But goodness! what nonsense I’m writing!
(Mama says my taste still is low),
Instead of my triumphs reciting,
I'm spooning on Joseph
heigh-ho!And I’m to be "finished" by travel
Whatever’s the meaning of that
Oh! why did papa strike pay gravel
In drifting on Poverty Flat?
Good-night here’s the end of my paper;
Good-night
if the longitude pleaseFor maybe, while wasting my taper,
Your sun’s climbing over the trees.
But know, if you haven’t got riches,
And are poor, dearest Joe, and all that,
That my heart’s somewhere there in the
ditches,
And you’ve struck it
on Poverty Flat.