Public-domain ebook
by John Hartley
Language: en425 downloads on Project Gutenberg
Subjects
In: United Kingdom·Poetry·Humour
Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #17472.
The opening · free to read
As aw hurried throo th' taan to mi wark, (Aw wur lat, for all th' whistles had gooan,) Aw happen'd to hear a remark, 'At ud fotch tears throo th' heart ov a stooan-- It wur raanin, an' snawin, and cowd, An' th' flagstoans wur covered wi' muck, An' th' east wind booath whistled an' howl'd, It saanded like nowt but ill luck; When two little lads, donn'd i' rags, Baght stockins or shoes o' ther feet, Coom trapesin away ower th' flags, Booath on 'em sodden'd wi th' weet.-- Th' owdest mud happen be ten, Th' young en be hauf on't,--noa moor; As aw luk'd on, aw sed to misen, God help fowk this weather 'at's poor! Th' big en sam'd summat off th' graand, An' aw luk'd just to see what 't could be; 'Twur a few wizend flaars he'd faand, An' they seem'd to ha fill'd him wi glee: An' he sed, "Come on, Billy, may be We shall find summat else by an by, An' if net, tha mun share thease wi me When we get to some spot where its dry." Leet-hearted they trotted away, An' aw follow'd, coss 'twur i' mi rooad; But aw thowt awd nee'er seen sich a day-- It worn't fit ta be aght for a tooad. Sooin th' big en agean slipt away, An' sam'd summat else aght o'th' muck, An' he cried aght, "Luk here, Bill! to-day Arn't we blest wi' a seet o' gooid luck? Here's a apple! an' th' mooast on it's saand: What's rotten aw'll throw into th' street-- Worn't it gooid to ligg thear to be faand? Nah booath on us con have a treat." Soa he wiped it, an' rubb'd it, an' then Sed, Billy, "thee bite off a bit; If tha hasn't been lucky thisen Tha shall share wi' me sich as aw get." Soa th' little en bate off a touch, T'other's face beamed wi' pleasur all throo, An' he said, "Nay, tha hasn't taen much, Bite agean, an' bite bigger; nah do!" Aw waited to hear nowt noa moor,-- Thinks aw, thear's a lesson for me! Tha's a heart i' thi breast, if tha'rt poor: Th' world wur richer wi' moor sich as thee! Tuppince wur all th' brass aw had, An' awd ment it for ale when coom nooin, But aw thowt aw'll goa give it yond lad, He desarves it for what he's been dooin; Soa aw sed, "Lad, here's tuppince for thee, For thi sen,"--an' they stared like two geese, But he sed, woll th' tear stood in his e'e, "Nah, it'll just be a penny a piece." "God bless thi! do just as tha will, An' may better days speedily come; Tho' clam'd, an' hauf donn'd, mi lad, still Tha'rt a deal nearer Heaven nur some."
Bonny burd! aw'm fain to see thee, For tha tells ov breeter weather; But aw connot quite forgi thee, Connot love thee altogether.
'Tisn't thee aw fondly welcome-- 'Tis the cheerin news tha brings, Tellin us fine weather will come, When we see thi dappled wings.
But aw'd rayther have a sparrow, Rayther hear a robin twitter; Tho' they may net be thi marrow, May net fly wi' sich a glitter;
But they niver leeav us, niver-- Storms may come, but still they stay; But th' first wind 'at ma's thee shiver, Up tha mounts an' flies away.
Ther's too mony like thee, swallow, 'At when fortun's sun shines breet, Like a silly buzzard follow, Doncin raand a bit o' leet.
But ther's few like Robin redbreast, Cling throo days o' gloom an' care; Soa aw love mi old tried friends best-- Fickle hearts aw'll freely spare.
A'a! it's grand to ha' plenty o' brass! It's grand to be able to spend A trifle sometimes on a glass For yorsen, or sometimes for a friend To be able to bury yor neive Up to th' shackle i' silver an' gowd An', 'baght pinchin', be able to save A wee bit for th' time when yor owd.
A'a! it's grand to ha', plenty o' brass! To be able to set daan yor fooit Withaght ivver thinkin'--bith' mass! 'At yor wearin' soa mitch off yor booit; To be able to walk along th' street, An' stand at shop windows to stare, An' net ha' to beat a retreat If yo' scent a "bum bailey" i' th' air.
A'a I it's grand to ha' plenty o' brass! To be able to goa hoam at neet, An' sit i'th' arm-cheer bith' owd lass, An' want nawther foir nor leet; To tak' th' childer a paper o' spice, Or a pictur' to hing up o' th' wall; Or a taste ov a summat 'at's nice For yor friends, if they happen to call.
A'a! it's grand to ha' plenty o' brass! Then th' parsons'll know where yo' live: If yo'r' poor, it's mooast likely they'll pass, An' call where fowk's summat to give. Yo' may have a trifle o' sense, An' yo' may be both upright an' true But that's nowt, if yo' can't stand th' expense Ov a hoal or a pairt ov a pew.
A'a! it's grand to ha' plenty o' brass! An' to them fowk at's getten a hoard, This world seems as smooth as a glass, An' ther's flaars o' boath sides o'th' road; But him 'at's as poor as a maase, Or, happen, a little i' debt, He mun point his noas up to th' big haase, An' be thankful for what he can get.
A'a! it's grand to ha' plenty o' chink! But doan't let it harden yor heart: Yo' 'at's blessed wi' abundance should think An' try ta do gooid wi' a part! An' then, as yor totterin' daan, An' th' last grains o' sand are i'th glass, Yo' may find 'at yo've purchased a craan Wi' makkin gooid use o' yor brass.
Little bonny, bonny babby, How tha stares, an' weel tha may, For its but an haar, or hardly, Sin' tha furst saw th' leet o' day.
A'a! tha little knows, young moppet, Ha aw'st have to tew for thee; May be when aw'm forced to drop it, 'At tha'll do a bit for me.
Are ta maddled, mun, amang it? Does ta wonder what aw mean? Aw should think tha does, but dang it! Where's ta been to leearn to scream?
That's noa sooart o' mewsic, bless thee! Dunnot peawt thi lip like that! Mun, aw hardly dar to nurse thee, Feared awst hurt thee, little brat.
Come, aw'll tak thee to thi mother; Shoo's moor used to sich nor me: Hands like mine worn't made to bother Wi sich ginger-breead as thee.
Innocent an' helpless craytur, All soa pure an' undefiled! If ther's ought belangs to heaven Lives o'th' eearth, it is a child.
An its hard to think, 'at some day, If tha'rt spared to weather throo, 'At tha'll be a man, an' someway Have to feight life's battles too.
Kings an' Queens, an' lords an' ladies, Once wor nowt noa moor to see; An' th' warst wretch 'at hung o'th' gallows, Once wor born as pure as thee.
An' what tha at last may come to, God aboon us all can tell; But aw hope 'at tha'll be lucky, Even tho aw fail mysel.
Do aw ooin thee? its a pity! Hush! nah prathi dunnot freat! Goa an' snoozle to thi titty Tha'rt too young for trouble yet.
Aw wander'd aght one summer's morn, Across a meadow newly shorn; Th' sun wor shinin' breet and clear, An' fragrant scents rose up i'th' air, An' all wor still. When, as my steps wor idly rovin, Aw coom upon a seet soa lovin! It fill'd mi heart wi' tender feelin, As daan aw sank beside it, kneelin O'th' edge o'th' hill.
It wor a little skylark's nest, An' two young babby burds, undrest, Wor gapin wi' ther beaks soa wide, Callin' for mammy to provide Ther mornin's meal; An' high aboon ther little hooam, Th' saand o' daddy's warblin coom, Ringin' soa sweetly o' mi ear, Like breathins thro' a purer sphere, He sang soa weel.
Ther mammy, a few yards away, Wor hoppin' on a bit o' hay, Too feard to come, too bold to flee; An' watchin me wi' troubled e'e, Shoo seem'd to say: "Dooant touch my bonny babs, young man! Ther daddy does the best he can To cheer yo with his sweetest song; An' thoase 'll sing as weel, ere long, Soa let 'em stay."
"Tha needn't think aw'd do 'em harm-- Come shelter 'em and keep 'em warm! For aw've a little nest misel, An' two young babs, aw'm praad to tell, 'At's precious too; An' they've a mammy watching thear, 'At howds them little ens as dear, An' dearer still, if that can be, Nor what thease youngens are to thee, Soa come,--nah do!
"A'a well!--tha'rt shy, tha hops away,-- Tha doesn't trust a word aw say; Tha thinks aw'm here to rob an' plunder, An' aw confess aw dunnot wonder-- But tha's noa need; Aw'll leave yo to yorsels,--gooid bye! For nah aw see yor daddy's nigh; He's dropt that strain soa sweet and strong; He loves yo better nor his song-- He does indeed."
Aw walk'd away, and sooin mi ear Caught up the saand o' warblin clear; Thinks aw, they're happy once agean; Aw'm glad aw didn't prove so mean To rob that nest; For they're contented wi ther lot, Nor envied me mi little cot; An' in this world, as we goa throo, It is'nt mich gooid we can do, An' do awr best.
Then let us do as little wrong To ony as we pass along, An' never seek a joy to gain At's purchased wi another's pain, It isn't reet. Aw shall goa hooam wi' leeter heart, To mend awr Johnny's little cart: (He allus finds me wark enough To piecen up his brocken stuff, For every neet.)
An' Sally--a'a! if yo could see her! When aw sit daan to get mi teah, Shoo puts her dolly o' mi knee, An' maks me sing it "Hush a bee," I'th' rocking chear; Then begs some sugar for it too; What it can't ait shoo tries to do; An' turnin up her cunnin e'e,, Shoo rubs th' doll maath, an says, "yo see, It gets its share.",
Sometimes aw'm rayther cross? aw fear! Then starts a little tremblin tear, 'At, like a drop o' glitt'rin dew Swimmin within a wild flaar blue, Falls fro ther e'e; But as the sun in April shaars Revives the little droopin flaars, A kind word brings ther sweet smile back: Aw raylee think mi brain ud crack If they'd ta dee.
Then if aw love my bairns soa weel, May net a skylark's bosom feel As mich consarn for th' little things 'At snooze i'th' shelter which her wings Soa weel affoards? If fowk wod nobbut bear i' mind How mich is gained by bein' kind, Ther's fewer breasts wi' grief ud swell, An' fewer fowk ud thoughtless mell Even o'th' burds.
Ther's mewsic i'th' shuttle, i'th' loom, an i'th frame, Ther's melody mingled i'th' noise, For th' active ther's praises, for th' idle ther's blame, If they'd hearken to th' saand of its voice; An' when flaggin a bit, ha refreshin to feel As yo pause an luk raand on the throng, At the clank o' the tappet, the hum o' the wheel, Sing this plain unmistakable song:-- Nick a ting, nock a ting; Wages keep pocketing; Workin for little is better nor laiking; Twist an' twine, reel an' wind; Keep a contented mind; Troubles are oft ov a body's own making.
To see workin fowk wi' a smile o' ther face As they labor thear day after day; An' hear 'th women's voices float sweetly throo 'th place, As they join i' some favorite lay; It saands amang th' din, as the violet seems 'At peeps aght th' green dockens among, An' spreading a charm over th' rest by its means, Thus it blends i' that steady old song; Nick a ting, nock a ting; Wages keep pocketing; Workin for little is better nor laiking; Twist an' twine, reel an' wind; Keep a contented mind; Troubles are oft ov a body's own making.
An' then see what lessons are laid out anent us, As pick after pick follows time after time, An' warns us tho' silent, to let nowt prevent us From strivin by little endeavours to climb; Th' world's made o' trifles! its dust forms a mountain! Then niver despair as you're trudgin along; If troubles will come an' yor spirits dishearten, Yo'll find ther's relief i' that steady old song; Nick a ting, nock a ting; Wages keep pocketing; Working for little is better nor laiking; Twist an' twine, reel an' wind; Keep a contented mind; Troubles are oft ov a body's own making.
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