When the sun was shining brightly,
When the world was gleaming whitely,
And Jack Frost held Nature tightly
In a vice,
It was joy supreme, though fleeting,
Fair AMANDA to be greeting,
When the country side was meeting
On the ice!
Happy he whom smile the Fates on,
Whom they shower _tête-à-têtes_ on,
How I used to whip her skates on
In a trice!
And, as off we'd skim cross-handed,
Leaving all my rivals stranded,
I was glad, to be quite candid,
On the ice!
How we gave evasive answers,
When they praised our skill as dancers,
And to skate a set of lancers
Would entice;
How we thought them crude and "crocky"
Loving pairs to try and jockey
Into wild delights of hockey
On the ice!
To the figure-skating shilling
Snug inclosure we were willing
To subscribe--'twas cheap but thrilling
At the price:
Yet the busy scandal-riggers
With sarcastic little sniggers
Talked of people "cutting figures"
On the ice!
[Illustration]
All my heart, as I would hold her
Little hands in mine, a-smoulder--
'Twas a fact I nearly told her
Once or twice:
But, each time, what put a stopper
On my declaration proper
Was a sweet and timely cropper
On the ice!
Then the thaw came. Oh, the bother!
Oh, the words we had to smother!
Ne'er again we'll find each other
Half so nice:
Now AMANDA'S always seizing
Opportunities of teasing;
Oh, she wasn't half so "freezing"
On the ice!
* * * * *
Mrs. R. wants to know where that old quotation comes from, so
applicable now--
"And Freedom shrieked when PADEREWSKI played!"
Of course Freedom went into the free seats (if any) and shrieked with
delight.
* * * * *