University of Virginia Library

Now, listen! this is the way it was—
This Captain Moore, of Ballaglass,
The father, you know, when Misthress Cain
And him was young, lek the people is sayin'
Young and foolish—eh? but still—
Fell in love with her terrible,
And her with him. All right! all right!
True and honest as the light
Was Captain Moore. But what was the good?
Think of the fam'ly! think of the blood!
First-class—you know! the very first
In the Island—the very! and that's the worst—
What for won't people be content
With their equals? And—The heiress of Renshent??
I know she was, and a Ballarat—
But, bless my soul and body! what's that
When you're spakin' of Moores? It couldn' be,
Moores! it couldn'! don't ye see?
And they might ha' knowed it. And of coorse the fuss
His people was makin' was scandalous!
Dreadful! And its only raison too
His love wouldn' be that through-and-through
And deep and strong like the misthresses,
So that's, you see, the way it is.
And they had him away to England there—
(He'd ha' married her like a shot, never fear!
And half the parish at the weddin',
But he wasn' allowed, and so he didn').
And years afore he was back—behould ye!
He married the English lady I tould ye,
So that's, you see, the way it was done,
And settled down, and had this son,
Their only child, and spoilt him rather,
And went for a Captain like his father.