The Market-Girl

Nobody took any notice of her

as she stood on the causey kerb,
All eager to sell her honey and apples

and bunches of garden herb;
And if she had offered to give her wares

and herself with them too that day,
I doubt if a soul would have cared

to take a bargain so choice away.

But chancing to trace her sunburnt grace

that morning as I passed nigh,
I went and I said "Poor maidy dear!

--and will none of the people buy?"
And so it began; and soon we knew

what the end of it all must be,
And I found that though no others had bid,

a prize had been won by me.