Tom! Tom! What yer think?
I've 'ed the Parson's wife
The first time in 'er life, acrost our door!
What for?
What for? Why Tom, you'd niver niver guess!
Not if you lived as old as Grammer Bess
What's lately swore
She's a hunder an' four--
_She wants us two, to go off an' git spliced!_
Oh Christ!
What's got 'er now:
The cow!
You well may swear;
Coz 'ow she dare--an' why--
Will make you swear agen, or laugh--surelie!
Just light yer pipe
Now you look comfortable--so
You're rough--old Tom--I know--
Black as a crow!
But I'm fond on yer lad
As any fool could see!
An' whether we're good or bad
You've bin maain good ter me.
But--blast 'er silly eyes!
What yer say to 'er, then?
I said a lot!
I telled 'er what!
A-comin' ere wi' 'er fancy airs,
'Er what's never known no cares,
Lookin' that wise--
Just coz she catched a Parson!
[An' noa great shaakes ayther--
She'd nowt of a feyther
While 'er half-brother run away to sea
An' took to blue water
Wi' their ole cook's daughter]
'You talk of "sin" an' "shame,"' I sez, 'to me?
You talks just like a fool
Or a silly bairn at school
Coz nobody about could doubt,
But what we're happy together him an' me;
Just look,' I sez, 'at any in this street
What couple can you find about to beat
My Tom an' me what's bin together years,
Happy an' comfortable;
Never noa serious trouble--
Nuthin' I mean to set us by the ears--
Good reason why!'
I sez--sez I--
'Coz we're a free an' equal pair;
We got to treat each other fair
Or else we part.'
Well said now Missus! That were smart!
'To part!' sez she, 'lookin' all down her noaz,
'Ow could you leave your hoam wi' childer three?'
I sez--sez I--'that dudn't bother me
Coz I can earn enough for food an' cloaz.
I can maintain 'em by mysen,' sez I,
'An' would at any time o' day.
I'm not a slave--an' anyway
I'd manage if I 'ed to do,
I'm not a slave,' I sez, 'like you!'