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176
Jones's Polly.
They stood together, face to face;
Both tall and strong—both stout and hearty:
And one was certainly a man;
The other, a most manlike party,
Both tall and strong—both stout and hearty:
And one was certainly a man;
The other, a most manlike party,
Which had a man's plush waistcoat on,
Button'd and stitch'd with artful stitches;
And all below her mighty waist
She wore a pair of fustian breeches.
Button'd and stitch'd with artful stitches;
And all below her mighty waist
She wore a pair of fustian breeches.
Also, her boots—clog shoon, they call 'em—
Were soled with wood and shod with iron;
Oh, such a size! I do declare
They would have shock'd the late Lord Byron.
Were soled with wood and shod with iron;
Oh, such a size! I do declare
They would have shock'd the late Lord Byron.
For he, you recollect, admired
The softer types of female beauty:
He little cared for female strength,
And cared still less for female duty.
The softer types of female beauty:
He little cared for female strength,
And cared still less for female duty.
Well, what are this one's duties, pray?
She wears a sort of woman's bonnet,
But none can see the face within—
So thick a crust of coal is on it.
She wears a sort of woman's bonnet,
But none can see the face within—
So thick a crust of coal is on it.
177
Ah yes—her face is wholly black;
She need not fear the gay deceiver—
Her beauty, what she has, lies hid;
Yet, strange to say, that does not grieve her,
She need not fear the gay deceiver—
Her beauty, what she has, lies hid;
Yet, strange to say, that does not grieve her,
That does not mar her self-respect:
A collier, and a collier's daughter,
She knows that all her charms are there,
And will come back with soap and water.
A collier, and a collier's daughter,
She knows that all her charms are there,
And will come back with soap and water.
So, when she looks you in the face,
Her clear bright eyes are calm and fearless;
She does not ask you to admire,
Or praise her looks, or call her peerless—
Her clear bright eyes are calm and fearless;
She does not ask you to admire,
Or praise her looks, or call her peerless—
Which word (I may at once observe)
Is quite beyond her understanding—
Nor does she know, how picturesque
Her presence is and how commanding:
Is quite beyond her understanding—
Nor does she know, how picturesque
Her presence is and how commanding:
She is not shy, she is not bold,
She talks to you as to a neighbour;
Letting you see her as she is,
A maiden used to honest labour.
She talks to you as to a neighbour;
Letting you see her as she is,
A maiden used to honest labour.
She does not think about herself:
Oh no! there's so much else to think of!
So many things to do and dare,
That you would tremble on the brink of.
Oh no! there's so much else to think of!
So many things to do and dare,
That you would tremble on the brink of.
178
Ah, if you saw her leap and climb,
Saw how she digs, and how she thrutches,
And how the flying wains stand still,
Once caught in her tremendous clutches;
Saw how she digs, and how she thrutches,
And how the flying wains stand still,
Once caught in her tremendous clutches;
And how she flings herself about
In merest wantonness of power,
And hurls her body down the shoot
As if she were a sack of flour,
In merest wantonness of power,
And hurls her body down the shoot
As if she were a sack of flour,
Until, shot safely out below,
She drops, feet foremost, in the waggon:
If you saw this, you must allow
She has a thing or two to brag on!
She drops, feet foremost, in the waggon:
If you saw this, you must allow
She has a thing or two to brag on!
She never brags; with silent ease
She does whatever work they set her:
“Hoo's like a mon,” the Gaffer says,
“Does full mon's work, an' does it better!”
She does whatever work they set her:
“Hoo's like a mon,” the Gaffer says,
“Does full mon's work, an' does it better!”
He's right: for pluck, and last, and skill,
And strength of limb, she yields to no man;
And yet she's feminine at heart;
She is not less, but more, a woman.
And strength of limb, she yields to no man;
And yet she's feminine at heart;
She is not less, but more, a woman.
Not puny, weakly woman—no,
She does not live by tears and trembling;
She hath a resolute disdain
Of feebleness and all dissembling:
She does not live by tears and trembling;
She hath a resolute disdain
Of feebleness and all dissembling:
179
She try to hide her rough black arms,
Her sinewy hands, her humble calling?
She'd just as soon refuse to walk
Along the trucks, for fear of falling!
Her sinewy hands, her humble calling?
She'd just as soon refuse to walk
Along the trucks, for fear of falling!
She care for finery and fuss?
Her soul hath no such petty passions:
She neither knows nor wants to know
The ladies' or the servants' fashions;
Her soul hath no such petty passions:
She neither knows nor wants to know
The ladies' or the servants' fashions;
Her interests would not interest you—
You, with your leisure, rank, or riches:
She cares but for a warm topcoat,
And one good pair of fustian breeches.
You, with your leisure, rank, or riches:
She cares but for a warm topcoat,
And one good pair of fustian breeches.
If you should see her when she's clean,
Admire her face, and wish to show it,
'Tis ten to one, she'd scorn your aid,
And not care twopence, who might know it.
Admire her face, and wish to show it,
'Tis ten to one, she'd scorn your aid,
And not care twopence, who might know it.
Her wealth is twentypence a day;
On which, she lives, and keeps her mother:
Nor does she think, in doing that
That she does more than any other.
On which, she lives, and keeps her mother:
Nor does she think, in doing that
That she does more than any other.
While, as for love—the man she weds
Must (if he can) be something like her;
Must leave her and her tasks alone,
And never, never dare to strike her.
Must (if he can) be something like her;
Must leave her and her tasks alone,
And never, never dare to strike her.
180
And that's why she rejected him
(Although he never dreamt of striking—
He thought too much of her for that,
And found her wholly to his liking)
(Although he never dreamt of striking—
He thought too much of her for that,
And found her wholly to his liking)
Him, who when first my tale began,
Was standing, as you know, beside her:
Indeed she let him have his say,
And did not mind how much he eyed her;
Was standing, as you know, beside her:
Indeed she let him have his say,
And did not mind how much he eyed her;
Nor did he mind her sooty face,
Her brawny arms, her manly clothing:
He could not view her with contempt
(As you might, dearest) nor with loathing;
Her brawny arms, her manly clothing:
He could not view her with contempt
(As you might, dearest) nor with loathing;
Oh no! He held her hard black hand
In admiration fond and fervent:
And who was he? I must confess
He was—he is—your humble servant!
In admiration fond and fervent:
And who was he? I must confess
He was—he is—your humble servant!
Yes; when I offer'd her myself,
And tried to flatter and to praise her,
And spoke about her solid worth,
And hoped to educate and raise her,—
And tried to flatter and to praise her,
And spoke about her solid worth,
And hoped to educate and raise her,—
She stared; and first, she clench'd her fist
(I much respect the fist she clenches)
And said I'd better just be off,
And not talk stuff to honest wenches.
(I much respect the fist she clenches)
And said I'd better just be off,
And not talk stuff to honest wenches.
181
But, when she came to know my mind,
And saw I really was a lover,
She fix'd her serious eyes on mine,
And said, I was too much above her.
And saw I really was a lover,
She fix'd her serious eyes on mine,
And said, I was too much above her.
“Yah, thah's a graadely mon,” she said,
“An' Ah's nowt else bud Jawns his Polly:
Mah maates sall niver saa o' me
Ah'd owt te deah wi noan sich folly!
“An' Ah's nowt else bud Jawns his Polly:
Mah maates sall niver saa o' me
Ah'd owt te deah wi noan sich folly!
“Lëak at mah worrk, an lëak at me!
D'ye think Ah wad be sich a gaaby,
As lëave mah pick an' spaade for thee,
To be a mammet an' a baaby?”
D'ye think Ah wad be sich a gaaby,
As lëave mah pick an' spaade for thee,
To be a mammet an' a baaby?”
Ah well! I knew that she was right;
Of course she'd hit the point precisely:
And though she still had all my heart,
I felt I had not chosen wisely.
Of course she'd hit the point precisely:
And though she still had all my heart,
I felt I had not chosen wisely.
'Twas hard, to see her stalwart frame,
Her clear bright eyes—'twas melancholy,
To think that such a maid must be
Not mine, but only Jones's Polly!
Her clear bright eyes—'twas melancholy,
To think that such a maid must be
Not mine, but only Jones's Polly!
“Well then, part friends, my lass!” I said;
“At least thou know'st that I could love thee;
And never think I hold myself
In heart or place, one whit above thee:
“At least thou know'st that I could love thee;
And never think I hold myself
In heart or place, one whit above thee:
182
“Shake hands!” She gave her hand again,
And smiled, and show'd her red lips gaily:
But oh, the grasp of that big hand—
I still can feel it almost daily!
And smiled, and show'd her red lips gaily:
But oh, the grasp of that big hand—
I still can feel it almost daily!
And then she toss'd her pick and spade
Across her shoulder, and we parted:
Yet still we meet, and meet as friends;
And are not yet quite broken-hearted.
Across her shoulder, and we parted:
Yet still we meet, and meet as friends;
And are not yet quite broken-hearted.
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