cepting you, mean "I am too happy to
speak." The dumb show of staring into each other's faces, squeezing
fingers, and sighing, originated, we have reason to believe, with the
ancient Romans. It is much practised now-a-days--as saving breath, and
being more lover-like than talking.

We could give many more valuable hints, but Punch has something better to
do than to teach ninnies the art of amorifying.

* * * * *

THE ROMANCE OF A TEACUP.

SIP THE SECOND.

Now harems being very lonely places,
Hemm'd in with bolts and bars on every side,
The fifty-two who shared Te-pott's embraces
Were glad to see a stranger, though a bride--
And so received her with their gentlest graces,
And questions--though the questions are implied,
For ladies, from Great Britain to the Tropics,
Are very orthodox in their choice of topics.

They ask'd her, who was married? who was dead?
What were the newest things in silks and ivories?
And had Y--Y--, who had eloped with Z--,
Been yet forgiven? and _had_ she seen his liveries?
And weren't they something between grey and red?
And hadn't Z's papa refused to give her his?
So Hy-son told them everything she knew
And all was very well a day or two.

But, when the Multifarious forsook
Bo-hea, Pe-koe, and Wiry-leaf'd Gun-pow-der,
To revel in the lip and sunny look
Of the young stranger; spite of all they'd vow'd her,
The ladies each with jealous anger shook,
And rail'd against the simple maid aloud--Ah!
This woman's pride is a fine thing to tell us of--
But a small matter serves her to be jealous of.

One said she was indecorously florid--
One thought "she only squinted, nothing more--"
A third, convulsively pronounced her "horrid "--
While Bo-hea, who was _low_ (at four-and-four),
Glanced from her fingers up at Hy-son's forehead,
Who, inkling such a tendency before,
Cared for no rival's nails--but paid--I own,
Particular attention to her own.

Well, this was bad enough; but worse than this
Were the attentions of our ancient hero,
Whose frequent vow, and frequenter caress,
Unwelcome were for any one to hear, who
Had charms for better pleasure than a kiss
From feeble dotard ten degrees from zero.
So, as one does when circumstances harass one,
Hy-son began to draw up a comparison.

"Was ever maiden so abused as I am?
Teazed into such a mar