One end he tied around a beam, And there he hung till he was dead As any nail in town,— For though distress had cut him up, A dozen men sat on his corpse, To find out why he died— And they buried Ben at four cross-roads, With a stake in his inside! Thomas Hood [1799-1845] FAITHLESS SALLY BROWN YOUNG Ben he was a nice young man, A carpenter by trade; And he fell in love with Sally Brown, But as they fetched a walk one day, They met a press-gang crew; And Sally she did faint away, Whilst Ben he was brought to. The boatswain swore with wicked words Enough to shock a saint, That, though she did seem in a fit, 'Twas nothing but a feint. "Come, girl," said he, "hold up your head, He'll be as good as me; For when your swain is in our boat A boatswain he will be." So when they'd made their game of her, And taken off her elf, She roused, and found she only was A coming to herself. Faithless Sally Brown "And is he gone, and is he gone?" A waterman came up to her; "Alas! they've taken my beau, Ben, Says he, "They've only taken him "O, would I were a mermaid now, "Alas! I was not born beneath Now Ben had sailed to many a place But when he called on Sally Brown, He found she'd got another Ben, Whose Christian name was John. 2061 "O Sally Brown! O Sally Brown! Then, reading on his 'bacco box, And then he tried to sing, "All's Well!" His head was turned,-and so he chewed His death, which happened in his berth, They went and told the sexton, and The sexton tolled the bell. Thomas Hood [1799-1845] "PLEASE TO RING THE BELLE" I'LL tell you a story that's not in Tom Moore: Now a hand-maid, whatever her fingers be at, The meeting was bliss, but the parting was woe; Old Grimes 2063 OLD GRIMES OLD Grimes is dead; that good old man He used to wear a long black coat, His heart was open as the day, His hair was some inclined to gray- Whene'er he heard the voice of pain, Kind words he ever had for all; He knew no base design: His eyes were dark and rather small, His nose was aquiline. He lived at peace with all mankind, Unharmed, the sin which earth pollutes He passed securely o'er, For thirty years or more. But good old Grimes is now at rest, He modest merit sought to find, His neighbors he did not abuse- He wore large buckles on his shoes, His knowledge, hid from public gaze, Nor made a noise, town-meeting days, His worldly goods he never threw Thus undisturbed by anxious cares, His peaceful moments ran; And everybody said he was A fine old gentleman. Albert Gorton Greene. [1802-1868] THE ANNUITY I GAED to spend a week in Fife— Lamentin' her viduity. Her grief brak out sae fierce and fell, I thought her heart wad burst the shell, The bargain lookit fair eneugh- But years have come, and years have gane, And there she's yet as stieve 's a stane-- Since she got her annuity. |