Matilda told such Dreadful Lies,
It made one Gasp and Stretch one's Eyes;
Her Aunt, who, from her Earliest Youth,
Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth,
Attempted to Believe Matilda:
The effort very nearly killed her,
And would have done so, had not
Discovered this Infirmity.
For once, towards the Close of Day,
Matilda, growing tired of play,
And finding she was left alone,
Went tiptoe to the
And summoned the Immediate
Of London's Noble Fire-Brigade.
Within an hour the Gallant
Were pouring in on every hand,
From Putney,
Hackney Downs, and Bow.
With Courage high and Hearts a-glow,
They galloped, roaring through the Town,'Matilda's House is Burning Down!'Inspired by British Cheers and
Proceeding from the Frenzied Crowd,
They ran their ladders through a
Of windows on the Ball Room Floor;
And took Peculiar Pains to
The Pictures up and down the House,
Until Matilda's Aunt
In showing them they were not needed;
And even then she had to
To get the Men to go away, It happened that a few Weeks
Her Aunt was off to the
To see that Interesting
The Second Mrs.
Tanqueray.
She had refused to take her
To hear this Entertaining Piece:
A Deprivation Just and
To Punish her for Telling Lies.
That Night a Fire did break out--You should have heard Matilda Shout!
You should have heard her Scream and Bawl,
And throw the window up and
To People passing in the Street--(The rapidly increasing
Encouraging her to
Their confidence) -- but all in vain!
For every time she shouted 'Fire!'They only answered 'Little Liar!'And therefore when her Aunt returned,
Matilda, and the House, were Burned.
