Mother Goose for Grown-ups. Carryl Guy Wetmore

is wholesome and people grow fat on it.

      The spot being lonely, the lady not only

      Discovered the tuffet, but sat on it.

      A rivulet gabbled beside her and babbled,

      As rivulets always are thought to do,

      And dragon-flies sported around and cavorted,

      As poets say dragon-flies ought to do;

      When, glancing aside for a moment, she spied

      A horrible sight that brought fear to her,

      A hideous spider was sitting beside her

      And most unavoidably near to her!

      Albeit unsightly, this creature politely

      Said: "Madam, I earnestly vow to you,

      I'm penitent that I did not bring my hat. I

      Should otherwise certainly bow to you."

      Though anxious to please, he was so ill at ease

      That he lost all his sense of propriety,

      And grew so inept that he clumsily stept

      In her plate – which is barred in Society.