Cupid looked forth one bright spring day,

And whispered, "Now I must away.

Old winter, with his frost and snow,

Took his departure long ago.

"O'er roadside, field, and woodland, too,

Sweet violets grow, with eyes so blue;

Blossoms of every hue and shade

The balmy air with perfume lade.

"There's light and sunshine everywhere;

All nature is so wondrous fair;

E'en from the woods the wild birds sing

A welcome to the newborn spring.

"This surely is my harvest time,

To make men bow at Love's sweet shrine;

For all around, below, above,

So from beneath his flow'ry tent

He started on this mission bent.

First to the halls of wealth and rank

Went cunning Cupid with his prank.

On reaching them, to his dismay,

Those halls in deepest quiet lay;

And music, once the food of love,

Could not be heard below, above.

So Cupid's little wings he spread,

And, flying, to himself he said,

"The lawyer will be in, I know,

He's poring o'er his books, I trow.

"Poor fellow, what a lot is his!

To be shut up a day like this,

From sunlight, flowers, and wild bird's song,

Trying to balance right and wrong.

"I'll take my tiny little dart,

And lightly touch the lawyer's heart,

And show him how love's sweet, glad light

But when he reached the longed-for spot,

He found the studious lawyer not.

These words he read upon the door,

"The lawyer will be in at four."

"To the office of the doctor kind

I'll go," said he, "for there I'll find

Him tending to his patients' ills

With soothing balms and dainty pills."

But doctor's doors were closed, and lo!

Just as poor Cupid turned to go,

These words he read 'twixt tears, alack!

"At six the doctor will be back."

Next to the dentist man he flew,

And called upon the merchant, too;

In every place, the city 'round,

But not a bit of game he found.

"Well, well!" said Cupid, with a moan,

"The world has cold and heartless grown."

So once again his wings he spread,

Back toward his home among spring flowers,

And shady walks, and leafy bowers;

But as he flew the stream beside,

A crowd of wheelmen there he spied.

"Ha! ha!" laughed he, "I've found them all,

Both short and tall, both great and small.

Oh, what a pretty lad I see

Gliding along so merrily!

"With pretty boots laced to the knee,

His limbs how shapely, blithe, and free;

If I can get such game as he,

This trip a grand success will be."

So, saying this, his bow he bent,

And through the air his arrow sent;

Straight toward this pretty lad it flew,

And pierced his bosom through and through.

"My! wasn't that a blissful aim.

I'll fly to earth and get my game."

But when he reached that laddie's side

He looked perplexed, then horrified.

Then quickly rose and flew away,

And as he went was heard to say:

"Oh, what a blunder! Now I see

Fort Wayne is not the place for me;

"For, counting now my time and cost,

This lovely day is worse than lost.

My wings are weary, brain's awhirl,

For, oh, 'twas but a Bloomer Girl!"