Read "A Doe in the City" by William Makepeace Thackeray online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Little KITTY LORIMER, / Fair, and young, and witty, / What has brought your ladyship / Rambling to the City?
All the Stags in Capel Court / Saw her lightly trip it; / All the lads of Stock Exchange / Twigg'd her muff and tippet.
With a sweet perplexity, / And a mystery pretty, / Threading through Threadneedle Street, / Trots the little KITTY.
What was my astonishment -- / What was my compunction, / When she reached the Offices / Of the Didland Junction!
Up the Didland stairs she went, / To the Didland door, Sir; / Porters lost in wonderment, / Let her pass before, Sir.
"Madam," says the old chief Clerk, / "Sure we can't admit ye."
"Where's the Didland Junction deed?"
Dauntlessly says KITTY.
"If you doubt my honesty, / Look at my receipt, Sir."
Up then jumps the old chief Clerk, / Smiling as he meets her.
KITTY at the table sits / (Whither the old Clerk leads her), / "I deliver this," she says, / "As my act and deed, Sir."
When I heard these funny words / Come from lips so pretty; / This, I thought, should surely be / Subject for a ditty.
What! are ladies stagging it?
Sure, the more's the pity; / But I've lost my heart to her, -- / Naughty little KITTY.