A midnight, moonlight swim!

   Soon thought and soon attempted;

   At once my room was emptied

    Of its sole occupant;

   The roof was low, and easily,

   In fact, quite Japanese-ily,

    I took the downward slant,

   Then, without stay or stopping,

   My first and last eaves-dropping,

    By leader-pipe I sped,

   And through the thicket gliding,

   Down the steep hillside sliding,

    Soon reached the river's bed.

   But what was my amazement,—

   The fair scene from the casement,

    How changed! I could not guess

   Where track or rails had vanished,

   Town, villas, station, banished,—

    All was a wilderness.

   Only one ancient gable,

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