She saw herself a lady

      With fifty frocks in wear,

And rolling wheels, and rooms the best,

      And faithful maidens’ care,

   And open lawns and shady

      For weathers warm or drear.

   She found herself a striver,

      All liberal gifts debarred,

With days of gloom, and movements stressed,

      And early visions marred,

   And got no man to wive her

      But one whose lot was hard.

   Yet in the moony night-time

      She steals to stile and lea

During his heavy slumberous rest

      When homecome wearily,

   And dreams of some blest bright-time

      She knows can never be.