Her sister brought the wife a feather —
A curled, Parisian thing of beauty
(And Uncle Sam may answer whether
He did or did not get the duty).

The feather had to have a hat
To wreathe itself upon, I take it;
For twenty dollars (cheap at that!)
Madame O'Malley deigned to make it.

So fine a hat is simply lost
Without a proper coat below it.
The coat, with all its fixings, cost
Say, ninety more — at least I owe it.

The coat was scarcely warm enough —
(A stylish cloth is rarely weighty);
But, after all, the stole and muff
Were hardly very dear at eighty.

And then a gown and shoes and things —
Here! add the bills, ye household scholars!
That little feather plumed the wings
Of pretty near three hundred dollars!

A straw may break the camel's back;
How might a feather overtax him!
I never knew before, alack,
The truth within that shop-worn maxim!

Yet, oh, for all this traitor writes,
The wealth of all the stores together
Was never worth one smile that lights
The dimpling face beneath the feather!