Knocking

The only fault of Reuben Brown
Was knocking aged old spinsters down.
He loved to hear their timid squeal,
And see their look of soft appeal;
And wept with joy to watch them flutter,
On muddy mornings in the gutter.
And in this not unhealthy pleasure
He spent his frequent hours of leisure
Till came a day when Spinster Fate
Decided to retaliate.
A lady sauntered close ahead:
He caught her up with wary tread,
And sent her sprawling on the earth.
His eyes grew dim with tears of mirth.
They cleared; and there before him lay,
Among wet leaves and liquid clay,
The richest of the rich relations
On whom he based his expectations,
His Aunt! She turned, she saw, she knew!
In blind and nervous haste he flew,
And slipped beneath a passing bus:
His death was instantaneous.
Two morals, Reader, here are shown.
"Don't knock a lady down" is one;
The next, if you'd avoid a shock,
Is simply: "Look before you knock."

GEORGE V AN RAALTE.