The Gunman and the Débutante

DOROTHY ROTHSCHILD

A WILD and wicked gunman—one who held a gang in thrallA menace to the lives of me and you,

Was counting up, exultingly, the day's successful haul—

A s gunmen are extremely apt to do.

A string of pearls, a watch or two, a roll of bills, a ring,

Some pocketbooks—about a dozen, say-*An emerald tiara—oh, a very pretty thing/

Yes, really, quite a gratifying day.

A DAINTY little debutante came trippingly along, uJ. With wistful, trusting eyes of baby blue;

She softly hummed a fragment of a most Parisian song—

As debutantes are very apt to do.

That wild and wicked gunman felt he couldn't miss the chance To end his busy day triumphantly;

"Though scarcely in the habit of attacking debutantes,

Your money or your life, my dear," said he.

ri 'HE dainty little d6butante was trembling with alarm,

JAppealingly she looked him through and through,

And laid her helpless little hand upon his brawny arm—

As debutantes are very apt to do.

Then earnestly she prayed the wicked gunman to be good,

She begged that he'd reform that very day;

Until he dropped his wicked gun, and promised that he would, And bade her go her sweet and harmless way.

THE wild and wicked gunman sat; considering it all. "At last," he cried, "I've met my Waterloo";

He vowed he'd give to charity the day's successful haul—

As gunmen are extremely apt to do.

But when he tried to find his gains and give to those in want— The pocketbooks, the watches, bills and ring—

He found, to his amazement, that the little debutante Had taken every solitary thing!