 | Poems, Ballads and Bucolics |  |
34
THE OLD PARTNER GONE.
Deäd, ay deäd, but I thowt
He was nivver a-gooin' to die;
But he nivver not wanted for nowt
As long as the cloäs wur to dry.
He was nivver a-gooin' to die;
But he nivver not wanted for nowt
As long as the cloäs wur to dry.
Thoff he very gäin lost me the wash
From quolity oop at the Hall,
Fur I mowed Miss Hallus's sash
When his carpenter coömed fur to call.
From quolity oop at the Hall,
Fur I mowed Miss Hallus's sash
When his carpenter coömed fur to call.
When the Vicarage laädies caäme
To ax after Ellerby's staäte,
D'ya think if he'd meä to blaäme
He wudn't ha' spoak owt sträight?
To ax after Ellerby's staäte,
D'ya think if he'd meä to blaäme
He wudn't ha' spoak owt sträight?
Fur I sed, “Now Ellerby, saäy,
Hev I ivver waästed your dinner
Coom give me a character,” “Naäy,”
He sed, “I've nowt agin her.”
Hev I ivver waästed your dinner
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He sed, “I've nowt agin her.”
“And you hallus 'ed plenty to yeät,
And nivver went owt ‘Rag-Jack’;
And I nivver was one to cheät
My belly to put on my back?”
And nivver went owt ‘Rag-Jack’;
And I nivver was one to cheät
My belly to put on my back?”
And he sed, “Not as I can mind.”
“And you're quoit contented to goä?
If the Lord wud leave you behind
Fur a bit you'd not hev it soä?”
“And you're quoit contented to goä?
If the Lord wud leave you behind
Fur a bit you'd not hev it soä?”
He was stunt, soä I shook him i' bed;
“Now give the young laädies your word”;
And he sidled and nodded his head,
“He was quoit content with the Lord.”
“Now give the young laädies your word”;
And he sidled and nodded his head,
“He was quoit content with the Lord.”
Oh yees, he was quoit content,
As a Christian 'ed ought to beä;
And quoit lamb-quiet he went
At the last, when he went fro' meä.
As a Christian 'ed ought to beä;
And quoit lamb-quiet he went
At the last, when he went fro' meä.
I nivver not fetched him at night,
Tho' noä dowt in his beer he wur flighty;
He warnt not a choorchman, but quoit
Well-affected toward the Halmoighty.
Tho' noä dowt in his beer he wur flighty;
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Well-affected toward the Halmoighty.
He was offens a botheration,
And my kneeäs they are still fur to rub;
Fur 'e cudn't remember my staätion
Was downstairs along o' the tub.
And my kneeäs they are still fur to rub;
Fur 'e cudn't remember my staätion
Was downstairs along o' the tub.
But I nivver gev 'im a down-raätin',
And wud goä oop iron i' hand,
And tell him yung laädies wur waäitin'
Fur frills he mud understand.
And wud goä oop iron i' hand,
And tell him yung laädies wur waäitin'
Fur frills he mud understand.
Sometimes his owd paäins they wud lighten,
He'd hing hissen oaver a chair;
And lor how his faäce seemed to brighten,
And he wrestlin' out sich a prayer.
He'd hing hissen oaver a chair;
And lor how his faäce seemed to brighten,
And he wrestlin' out sich a prayer.
And “Muther,” he'd saäy, “I'm wi' Jesus”;
“That's just where I want you to beä,”
I wud answer. The Saviour He seeäs us
When two in His name do agreeä.
“That's just where I want you to beä,”
I wud answer. The Saviour He seeäs us
When two in His name do agreeä.
And I really do think that He'd seeäd us,
And knew that my back was nigh broak;
Fur the haängel of Death caäme and freeäd us,
When the Hall was a-fillin wi' fwoak.
And knew that my back was nigh broak;
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When the Hall was a-fillin wi' fwoak.
And after a long daäy's washin',
I'd gitten meä oop to bed,
And I felt that the raäin was a-lashin',
And silin in oaverhead,
I'd gitten meä oop to bed,
And I felt that the raäin was a-lashin',
And silin in oaverhead,
Clear fit to drown boäth on us nearly,
So I stirred and th' owd man stirred an' all;
And “Muther,” he sed, “I feel queeärly,”
And the clock bang'd twelve at the Hall.
So I stirred and th' owd man stirred an' all;
And “Muther,” he sed, “I feel queeärly,”
And the clock bang'd twelve at the Hall.
The wind was a-shaäkin' the winders,
The chimley was all in a moil,
But I got to the kindlin' and cinders,
And bellus'd the kettle to boil.
The chimley was all in a moil,
But I got to the kindlin' and cinders,
And bellus'd the kettle to boil.
And I mashed him the teä, and I pour'd it,
—Yon blue un's the very saäme cup—
Noa milk, fur we cudn't afford it,
And I puffed it fur him to sup.
—Yon blue un's the very saäme cup—
Noa milk, fur we cudn't afford it,
And I puffed it fur him to sup.
And I reached to 'is owd lips the saucer;
He sed nowt, but that wasn't straänge,
For he moastly sed nothink; and lor, Sir!
I seeäd i' a moament the chaänge.
He sed nowt, but that wasn't straänge,
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I seeäd i' a moament the chaänge.
Soä 'e went, it was awkard 'is goin',
Fur dryin' daäy was soä near;
But the Lord I reckon is knowin'
Reight times fur to call us oop theere.
Fur dryin' daäy was soä near;
But the Lord I reckon is knowin'
Reight times fur to call us oop theere.
And I wean't saäy as I wur unwillin',
Thoff cumpany's good at nights;
But the parish has stopped 'is two shillin'
I hed, and shud still hev by rights.
Thoff cumpany's good at nights;
But the parish has stopped 'is two shillin'
I hed, and shud still hev by rights.
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