The Songs Of A Sentimental Bloke Part 5

I swallers 'ard, an' starts to coax an' plead, I sez I'm dead ashamed o' wot's occurred.

She don't reply; she never takes no 'eed; Jist stares before 'er like a startled bird.

I tells 'er, never can no uvver tart Be 'arf wot she is, if we 'ave to part.

I tells 'er that me life will be a wreck.

It ain't no go. But when I makes a start To walk away, 'er arms is roun' me neck.

"Ah, Kid!" she sobs. "Yeh nearly broke me 'eart!"

I dunno wot I done or wot I said.

But 'struth! I'll not forgit it till I'm dead-- That night when 'ope back in me brisket lobs: 'Ow my Doreen she lays 'er little 'ead Down on me shoulder 'ere, an' sobs an' sobs; An' orl the lights goes sorter blurred an' red.

Say, square an' all--It don't seem right, some'ow, To say such things; but wot I'm feelin' now 'As come at times, I s'pose, to uvver men When you 'ave 'ad a reel ole ding-dong row, Say, ain't it bonzer makin' up agen?

Straight wire, it's almost worth...Ar, I'm a cow!

To think I'd ever seek to 'arm a 'air Of 'er dear 'ead agen! My oath, I swear No more I'll roust on 'er in angry 'eat!

But still, she never seemed to me so fair; She never wus so tender or so sweet As when she smooged beneath the lamplight there.

She's never been so lovin' wiv 'er gaze; So gentle wiv 'er pretty wimmin's ways.

I tells 'er she's me queen, me angel, too.

"Ah, no, I ain't no angel, Kid," she says.

"I'm jist a woman, an' I loves yeh true!

An' so I'll love yeh all me mortal days!"

She sung a song....'Ere, in me barmy style, I sets orl tarts; for in me hour o' trile Me soul was withered be a woman's frown, An' broodin' care come roostin' on me dile.

She sung a song....Me 'eart, wiv woe carst down, Wus raised to 'Eaven be a woman's smile.

VIII. Mar

"'Er pore dear par," she sez, "'e kept a store"; An' then she weeps an' stares 'ard at the floor.

"'Twas thro' 'is death," she sez, "we wus rejuiced To this," she sez...An' then she weeps some more.

"'Er Par," she sez, "me poor late 'usband, kept An 'ay an' corn store. 'E'd no faults ixcept 'Im fallin' 'eavy orf a load o' charf W'ich--killed 'im--on the---" 'Struth! But 'ow she wept.

She blows 'er nose an' sniffs. "'E would 'a' made"

She sez "a lot of money in the trade.

But, 'im took orf so sudden-like, we found 'E 'adn't kept 'is life insurince paid.

"To think," she sez, "a child o' mine should be Rejuiced to workin' in a factory!

If 'er pore Par 'e 'adn't died," she sobs...

I sez, "It wus a bit o' luck for me."

Then I gits red as 'ell, "That is--I mean,"

I sez, "I mighter never met Doreen If 'e 'ad not"--an' 'ere I lose me block--"I 'ope,"

I sez, "'e snuffed it quick and clean."

An' that wus 'ow I made me first deboo.

I'd dodged it cunnin' fer a month or two.

Doreen she sez, "You'll 'ave to meet my Mar, SOME day," she sez. An' so I seen it thro'.

I'd pictered some stern female in a cap Wot puts the fear o' Gawd into a chap.

An' 'ere she wus, aweepin' in 'er tea An' drippin' moistcher like a leaky tap.

Two dilly sorter dawgs made outer delf Stares 'ard at me frum orf the mantelshelf.

I seemed to symperthise wiv them there pups; I felt so stiff an' brittle-like meself.

Clobber? Me trosso, 'ead to foot, wus noo-- Got up regardless, fer this interview.

Stiff s.h.i.+rt, a Yankee soot split up the back, A tie wiv yeller spots an' stripes o' blue.

Me cuffs kep' playin' wiv me nervis fears Me patent leathers nearly brought the tears An' there I sits wiv, "Yes, mum. Thanks. Indeed?"

Me stand-up collar sorin' orf me ears.

"Life's 'ard," she sez, an' then she brightens up.

"Still, we 'ave alwus 'ad our bite and sup.

Doreen's been SICH a help; she 'as indeed.

Some more tea, w.i.l.l.y? 'Ave another cup."

w.i.l.l.y! O 'ell! 'Ere wus a flamin' pill!

A moniker that alwus makes me ill.

"If it's the same to you, mum," I replies "I answer quicker to the name of Bill."

Up goes 'er 'ands an' eyes, "That vulgar name!"

No, w.i.l.l.y, but it isn't all the same, My fucher son must be respectable."

"Orright," I sez, "I s'pose it's in the game."

"Me fucher son," she sez, "right on frum this Must not take anythink I say amiss.

I know me jooty be me son-in-lor; So, w.i.l.l.y, come an' give yer Mar a kiss."

I done it. Tho' I dunno 'ow I did.

"Dear boy," she sez, "to do as you are bid.

Be kind to 'er," she sobs, "my little girl!"

An' then I kiss Doreen. Sez she "Ah Kid!"

Doreen! Ar 'ow 'er pretty eyes did s.h.i.+ne.

No sight on earth or 'Eaving's 'arf so fine, An' as they looked at me she seemed to say "I'm proud of 'im, I am, an' 'e is mine."

There wus a sorter glimmer in 'er eye, An 'appy, nervis look, 'arf proud, 'arf shy; I seen 'er in me mind be'ind the cups In our own little kipsie, bye an' bye.

An' then when Mar-in-lor an' me began To tork of 'ouse'old things an' scheme an' plan, A sudden thort fair jolts me where I live: "These is my wimmin folk! An' I'm a man!"

It's wot they calls responsibility.

All of a 'eap that feelin' come to me; An' somew'ere in me 'ead I seemed to feel A sneakin' sort o' wish that I was free.

'Ere's me 'oo never took no 'eed o' life, Investin' in a mar-in-lor an' wife: Someone to battle fer besides meself, Somethink to love an' s.h.i.+eld frum care and strife.

It makes yeh solim when yeh come to think Wot love and marridge means. Ar, strike me pink!

It ain't all sighs and kisses. It's yer life.

An' 'ere's me tremblin' on the bloomin' brink.