Page:Poems Rice.djvu/62

AFTER-THOUGHTS.

I THANK the gentle friend who calls
 On me to pass an hour;
An unexpected courtesy
 Has over me such power—
Especially when my sad heart
 Is very ill at ease;
A friendly call at any time
 Can never fail to please.

I thank them; if induced to come,
 Their plea it matters not;
To feel you have remembrance won
 Will cheer the hardest lot;
Aye, even with a soft rebuke,
 For strange remarks I've made,
I'll love the more if they will try
 But gently to dissuade.

Great mirthfulness I fancy too;
 Such as was given me
Is very hard oft to subdue
 When wrought to high degree;