Yes Or No

      I.

If I but knew when a maid means “yes”,

     And when she really means “no”;

But I don’t alas! and it comes to pass

     I let many a good thing go.

For you know they say she tells you “no”,

     When she really meaneth “yes”.

But whether it’s right, ah! there is my plight,

     And a sorry one, I confess.

                    II.

On a pretty maid I had often called,

     And I was her only beau;

So I asked her free if she didn’t love me,

     And she simply answered “no”.

I asked her then if she’d marry me,

     With no great amount of distress;

And she came full swing like a bird awing,

     And gave me a good, sound “yes!”

Sept. 16, 1895

Pub. in N.Y. World,

Dec.1, ‘95