 | Poems and Songs |  |
138
Toothsome Advice.
I
Eh, Nanny; thou'rt o' out o' gear;Do, pray tho, go peep into th' glass;
Thou looks dirty, an' deawly, an' queer;
Whatever's to do witho lass?”
“Bless yo, Mary; if folk nobbut knew
The trouble I have wi' yon lad!—
He's at th' alehouse again, wi' th' owd crew:
It's enough to drive ony mon mad!”
II
“Eh, my wench I'm mich owder than thee,An' it grieves me to see tho like this;
So, pray tho, now, hearken to me;
An' don't go an' tak it amiss:
Thou once wur nice-lookin', an' mild,
An' tidily donned, too, as well;
But, now, thou'rt quite sluttish an' wild
About both thi house, an' thisel'.
139
III
“It's hard to keep things reet with aughtThat a body can manage to do;
But, a mon's sure to stray when he's nought
But dirt an' feaw looks to come to:
If thou wants to keep Jamie i'th house,
Thou mun bait th' trap wi' comfort, my lass;
Or, there's lots o' nooks, canty an' crouse,
Where he'll creep with his pipe an' his glass.
IV
“Thou mun keep his whoam pleasant an' sweet;An everything fit to be seen;
Thou mun keep thi hearth cheerful an' breet;
Thou mun keep thisel' tidy an' clean;
A good-temper't wife will entice
To a fireside that's cosy an' trim;
Men liken to see their wives nice;
An' I'm sure that it's so wi' yor Jem.
V
“Thou mun have his meals cooked to his mind,At th' reet time, an' daicently laid;
Tak pains; an' thou'll very soon find
How nice a plain dish can be made:
Good cookin' keeps likin' alive,
With a woman that's noan short o' wit;
An' there's never a craiter i'th hive
But's fond of a toothsome tit bit!'
140
VI
“Eh, Mary; I'm nought of a cook,But just rough an' ready, yo known;
As for roastin' an' boilin' bi th' book,—
I'm o' little more use than a stone!”
“Don thi bonnet; an' hie tho wi' me;
I'll soon put tho reet, if thou'll come;
An' I'll larn tho some cookin', thou'll see,
That'll help to keep Jamie at whoam!”
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