Read "Sheila" by Theodosia Pickrering Garrison online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Katie had the grand eyes and Delia had a way with her, / And Mary had the Saints' face and Maggie's waist was neat, / But Sheila had the merry heart that travelled all the day with her, / That put the laughing on her lips and dancing in her feet.
I've met with martyrs in my time, and Faith! they make the best of it, / But 'tis the uncomplaining ones that wear a sorrow long, / 'Twas Sheila had the better way and that's to make a jest of it, / To call her trouble out to dance and step it with a song.
Eh, but Sheila had the laugh the like of drink to weary ones, / (I've never heard the beat of it for all I've wandered wide.) / "And out of all the girls I knew the tender ones -- the dreary ones, -- " / "Twas only Sheila of the laugh that broke her heart and died."