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 | City Festivals |  |
SONG OF THE SIDE-SHOWMAN.
Oh, I am a showman old,
And I am a showman bold;
I stand outdoor an hour or more,
And point with pride to the things inside,
As I beseech, in eloquent speech,
That the crowd will see what things there be
Of those that stay in the far away,
And not forget Instruction's debt:
They laugh at me, and they chaff at me,
And I pay them back with the sudden crack
Of the lash of a word; and if they're stirred
To give me a fistic stroke
In pay for my little joke,
And I am a showman bold;
I stand outdoor an hour or more,
And point with pride to the things inside,
As I beseech, in eloquent speech,
That the crowd will see what things there be
Of those that stay in the far away,
And not forget Instruction's debt:
They laugh at me, and they chaff at me,
And I pay them back with the sudden crack
Of the lash of a word; and if they're stirred
To give me a fistic stroke
In pay for my little joke,
“Hey, Reub!
Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub!” says I;
They come from far an' they come from nigh.
“Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub!” reply,
An' each for each is ready to die.
They come from far an' they come from nigh.
“Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub!” reply,
An' each for each is ready to die.
Oh, I am a showman old,
Uncommonly large and bold!
I stand outside with a gesture wide,
And speak up loud to the credulous crowd,
And tell what we desire 'em to see,
And maybe cut orf an inch o' the dwarf
And add some lies to the giant's size,
And tell in what part of Australia's heart
Was the wild boy born we caught one morn
With his woolly head in a Kansas bed!
The whole o' the truth I've told from youth,
Whatever betides, and more besides!
An' ever if unbelief
Is apt to bring me grief,
Uncommonly large and bold!
I stand outside with a gesture wide,
And speak up loud to the credulous crowd,
And tell what we desire 'em to see,
And maybe cut orf an inch o' the dwarf
And add some lies to the giant's size,
And tell in what part of Australia's heart
Was the wild boy born we caught one morn
With his woolly head in a Kansas bed!
The whole o' the truth I've told from youth,
Whatever betides, and more besides!
102
Is apt to bring me grief,
“Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub!” says I;
They come from far an' they come from nigh.
“Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub!” reply,
An' each is ready for each to die.
They come from far an' they come from nigh.
“Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub!” reply,
An' each is ready for each to die.
Oh, I am a showman old;
Perhaps you never was told
Concerning the row I sing of now,
A-circusin' late in Texas State:
Right in the crowd a fellow allowed
That cousin to me was the Chimpanzee.
I took a shy at his nearmost eye,
An' down he went like an egg in Lent!
His friends laid out to knock us about,
But 'twasn't a go—this whippin' a show;
We cleared 'em up, like flies in a cup—
I'd almost bet some lie there yet!
There wasn't a minute to spare
'Fore all our crowd was there!
Perhaps you never was told
Concerning the row I sing of now,
A-circusin' late in Texas State:
Right in the crowd a fellow allowed
That cousin to me was the Chimpanzee.
I took a shy at his nearmost eye,
An' down he went like an egg in Lent!
His friends laid out to knock us about,
But 'twasn't a go—this whippin' a show;
We cleared 'em up, like flies in a cup—
I'd almost bet some lie there yet!
There wasn't a minute to spare
'Fore all our crowd was there!
“Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub!” says I;
They come from far an' they come from nigh.
“Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub!” they cry,
An' each was ready for each to die.
They come from far an' they come from nigh.
“Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub! Hey, Reub!” they cry,
An' each was ready for each to die.
| City Festivals | |