_"Gold lace has a charm for the fair."_
When William first became a Lieut.
R.N.V.R., in blue and gold,
Belinda smiled upon his suit
(Which formerly had found her cold);
His manly form and honest face,
She really liked them, I believe;
But, most of all, she loved the lace
Upon his sleeve.
Yet soon a rival courtier came--
A dashing dapper Lieut. R.N.;
And, as this paragon pressed his claim,
Oh, what could William hope for then?
How could a wobbly-braided swain
Vie with the actual Royal Navy,
Whose stripes were half as broad again
And straight, not wavy?
Then William swore (ah, Envy, ah!)
"Belinda _shall_ be mine, she SHALL!"
And wrote a note to his papa,
Who'd just been made an Admiral:--
"Father, now that you'll fly at sea
A two-balled flag in place of pennant,
What do you say to taking me
As flag-lieutenant?"
When William next waylaid his fair,
He had his glittering "aiglets" on;
Rope upon rope of gold was there,
And now his rival's look was wan;
He tried a bitter sneer, to greet
This "peacock preening in the sun";
But Miss Belinda thought them "sweet"....
And William won.
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