 | Ballads and other verses |  |
27
BALLAD OF THE WICKED NEPHEW.
It was a wicked Nephew bold
Who uprose in the night,
And ground upon a huge grindstone
His penknife, sharp and bright.
Who uprose in the night,
And ground upon a huge grindstone
His penknife, sharp and bright.
And, while the sparks were flying wild
The cellar-floor upon,
Quoth he unto himself, “I will
Dispatch my Uncle John!
The cellar-floor upon,
Quoth he unto himself, “I will
Dispatch my Uncle John!
“His property is large, and if
He dies, and leaves a Will,
His loving Nephew (that 's myself)
Won't get a dollar-bill.
He dies, and leaves a Will,
His loving Nephew (that 's myself)
Won't get a dollar-bill.
“I'll hie unto my Uncle's bed,
His chamber well I know,
And there I'll find his pocket-book
Safe under his pil-low.
His chamber well I know,
And there I'll find his pocket-book
Safe under his pil-low.
28
“With this bright steel I'll slay him first,
Because that is the way
They do such things, I understand,
In Boucicault's new Play.”
Because that is the way
They do such things, I understand,
In Boucicault's new Play.”
By this the anxious moon retired,
(For all the stars were in),—
“'Tis very dark,” the Nephew cried,
“But I can find my kin!”
(For all the stars were in),—
“'Tis very dark,” the Nephew cried,
“But I can find my kin!”
“Come forth, my trusty weapon, now!”
(Or words to that effect,)
He shouted to his little blade,
Whose power he did suspect.
(Or words to that effect,)
He shouted to his little blade,
Whose power he did suspect.
Then out he starts. His Uncle's door
Is thirteen doors from his:—
He gains the latch, which upward flies,
And straight inside he is!
Is thirteen doors from his:—
He gains the latch, which upward flies,
And straight inside he is!
One pause upon the entry stair,
And one upon the mat,—
How still the house at such an hour!
How mewless lies the cat!
And one upon the mat,—
How still the house at such an hour!
How mewless lies the cat!
29
“O Nephew! Nephew! be not rash;
Turn back, and then ‘turn in:’
Your Uncle still is sound asleep,
And you devoid of sin!
Turn back, and then ‘turn in:’
Your Uncle still is sound asleep,
And you devoid of sin!
“The gallows-tree was never built
For handsome lads like you,—
Get thee to bed! (as kind Macbeth
Wished his young man to do).”
For handsome lads like you,—
Get thee to bed! (as kind Macbeth
Wished his young man to do).”
He will not be advised,—he stands
Beside the sleeping form,—
The hail begins to beat outside
A tattoo for the storm.
Beside the sleeping form,—
The hail begins to beat outside
A tattoo for the storm.
“'Tis not too late,—repent, repent!
And all may yet be well!”
“Repent yourself!” the Nephew sneers,—
And at it goes pell-mell!
And all may yet be well!”
“Repent yourself!” the Nephew sneers,—
And at it goes pell-mell!
To right and left he carves his way,—
At least thus did it seem;
And, after he had done the deed,—
Woke up from his bad dream,
At least thus did it seem;
And, after he had done the deed,—
Woke up from his bad dream,
30
And swift to Uncle John he ran,
When daylight climbed the hill,
And told him all,—and Uncle John
Put Nephew in his Will.
When daylight climbed the hill,
And told him all,—and Uncle John
Put Nephew in his Will.
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