The Second Rhyme Of Sym

"Now come," said the Devil, he said to me, With his swart face all a-grin, "This day, ere ever the clock strikes three, Shall you sin your darling sin. For I've wagered a crown with Beelzebub, Down there at the Gentlemen's Brimstone Club, I shall tempt you once, I shall tempt you twice, Yet thrice shall you fall ere I tempt you thrice."

"Begone, base Devil!" I made reply-- "Begone with your fiendish grin! How hope you to profit by such as I? For I have no darling sin. But many there be, and I know them well, All foul with sinning and ripe for Hell. And I name no names, but the whole world knows That I am never of such as those."

"How nowt' said the Devil. "I'll spread my net, And I vow I'll gather you in! By this and by that shall I win my bet, And you shall sin the sin! Come, fill up a bumper of good red wine, Your heart shall sing, and your eye shall shine, You shall know such joy as you never have known. For the salving of men was the good vine grown."

"Begone, red Devil!" I made reply. "Parch shall these lips of mine, And my tongue shall shrink, and my throat go dry, Ere ever I taste your wine! But greet you shall, as I know full well, A tipsy score of my friends in Hell. And I name no names, but the whole world wots Most of my fellows are drunken sots."

"Ah, ha!" said the Devil. "You scorn the wine! Thrice shall you sin, I say, To win me a crown from a friend of mine, Ere three o' the clock this day. Are you calling to mind some lady fair? And is she a wife or a maiden rare? 'Twere folly to shackle young love, hot Youth; And stolen kisses are sweet, forsooth!"

"Begone, foul Devil!" I made reply; "For never in all my life Have I looked on a woman with lustful eye, Be she maid, or widow, or wife. But my brothers! Alas! I am scandalized By their evil passions so ill disguised. And I name no names, but my thanks I give That I loathe the lives my fellow-men live."

"Ho, ho!" roared the Devil in fiendish glee. "'Tis a silver crown I win! Thrice have you fallen! 0 Pharisee, You have sinned your darling sin!" "But, nay," said I; "and I scorn your lure. I have sinned no sin, and my heart is pure. Come, show me a sign of the sin you see!" But the Devil was gone . . . and the clock struck three.

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With an increase of cheering and waving of hats- While the little boys squealed, and made noises like cats-- The Glugs gave approval to Sym's second rhyme. And some said 'twas thoughtful, and some said 'twas prime; And some said 'twas witty, and had a fine end: More especially those who did not comprehend.

And some said with leers and with nudges and shrugs That, they mentioned no names, but it hit certain Glugs. And others remarked, with superior smiles, While dividing the metrical feet into miles, That the thing seemed quite simple, without any doubt, But the anagrams in it would need thinking out.

But the Mayor said, Hush! And he wished to explain That in leading this Movement he'd nothing to gain. He was ready to lead, since they trusted him so; And, wherever he led he was sure Glugs would go. And he thanked them again, and craved peace for a time, While this gifted young man read his third and last rhyme.