A Bachelor Two Ladies Knew—

A bachelor two ladies knew—

One younger and one older than

He was, and in between the two

A competition then began,

Because his age was such that he

Was so to speak himself midway

Twixt youth and age, and so you see,

His head of hair was turning gray.

The younger woman wanted him

Apparently with blacker hair.

The older woman by her whim

Preferred him whiter to compare;

For each preferred his hair to seem

As similar to her’s in hue,

And each went to her own extreme

About his hair as she could do.

His junior his white hair took out,

His senior did remove his black,

And so you know what came about:

For hair he was left with a lack.

The bachelor—for being bald

Appealed to both the ladies so

They didn’t notice how appalled

He was without his hair to go.

So as a consequence of that

The ladies liked him even more,

Which makes a person wonder what

Do ladies like a fellow for?

But that’s another story, and

It’s not to be gone into now—

Yet, having each on either hand,

The fellow got along somehow.