TENNYSON'S "NORTHERN COBBLER."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6099, 4 June 1881, Page 7

TENNYSON'S "NORTHERN COBBLER."

:— ■ —» v - - : ' The northern cobbler sinks into wretchedness and degradation through strong drink. His wife Sally takes in washing to keep the wolf from the door, but he "grabs" the'money she makes, spends it in drink, and comes home raving. '.'■'' An' one night; I cooms' oiim like a bull gotten loose at a faalr, And sho \vur a-waaitin' fo'mma, an' cryin' and tetirin' 'er 'adir, ■ An' I tummled athurt the craadle an' swear'd as I'd break ivry stick 0' furnitur' ere i' the 'ouse, an' I gied our Sally a kick, ■ .' T ; ' . ' An' I mash'd the taablcs and chairs, an' she an' the babby bealed, fc For I knawe'd naw moor what I did nor a mortal beast o' tho field. Next morning he finds that Sally ia lamed by the kick he had given her, besides being out of heart, and that the baby's face is unwashed. He is thoroughly ashamed of himself, and goes demurely ;with Sally to meeting. The preacher r was "Muggins," the subject " Hell-fire an' the lbovi c? God fur men," and the effect of the sermon on the cobbler was so good that Sally, as they came away, rewarded her repentant spouse; with a "kiss, .'."'':' "'!' "'.' "". Hcer wur a fall fro'a kiss to kick like Saiitan as fell Down out o' heaven i' hell-flre—thaw theer's naw drinkin' 1' hell; Ilea fur to kick our Sally as kep the wolf fro' tho door, All along o' the drink, for I loov'd 'cr as well as afoor, Sa like a graat num-cumpus I blubbered awaiiy e' tho bed— • ' .■.':,'.-'■' '' '' WeOnt nivcr do it naw more;" an' pally lookt up an' she said, _ " I'll upowd itt tha weiint; thou'rt laike the rest o' : the men, ' ; -•. | Thou'll goS sniffin' about the tap till tha does it ageiin. .' Theer's thy hennomy, man, an' I knaws, as knaws tha . sa well, •:-..; That, if tha seas 'im 'an smells 'im tlia'll follcr 'ini

. slick into hell." : The cobbler, however, shows himself a man. Rushing away to the inn, he brings thence a "big, black bottle o' gin.j' Sally beholding it, uegins to cry. ! But I puts it inter 'er ands, an' I says to 'er, " Sally," says I, ' ■ ' ■.■■-.,■.::;.'/. "Stan" 'ini theer i' the naameo'.the Lord an' the power ov 'is Graacc, v ~ '"'' Stan' 'im thcer, fur I'll look my hennemy strait i' the faace; i . ' [ - Stan''im thccri'the winder, an'let ma look'at.'im: then. : . .:'.'...,: 'E sceiims naw moor nor wattcr, an' 'e's the divil's oansen." , i ■ -~ :•.:»...' In vain did foolish,'good-humoured heigh-; bours advise him to take a drop in* niodera-' tion. He knew better. Looking at his enemy in the face, he nevertheless kept him safe in the bottle. -...-.,.■ j An' thcer 'e stanj and theer 'c shall stan to: nij- dying doay; " I'a gotten to loov 'im agcon in another kind of awaiiy, Froud on 'im, like,- my lad, an'lkeaps 'im clean an' - —-bright, ._..." :. • Loovs 'im, an' roobs 'im, and doosts 'im, and puts 'im ' back i' the light. • ; ■ '. ~ Wouldn't a pint a' sarved as well as a quart. vNaw doubt; • ' ■ .'.'". ' ' 7 >. Bnt I liked a bigger feller to flght-\ri' an' fowt it out. Fine an'mcller 'e mum bo by this, if I cared to taa'stc. But I moant, my lad, an'l wcant, fur I feal niysen clean disgraaccd. - v - j : ~ ~ An' onco I said to the missis, " Jly lass, when I coonis .to .die, ; ■■•■•.. I ■ ..;; ;, • Smash the bottle to smithers, the divil's in 'Irri, I 'says l. Butartor I changed my mind, an' if SaU>jbo,lcft' alo'an, - . :; j r _. I'll hov 'im a-buricd wimma,and.taake'im'afoor the ..- Throan. ' "■' '-' - I Coom thou 'eor:—yon lifldy. a-stepping along ..the '.. street,,.. .'.'.'-".,,'.." '" '''' , '. L -- t ' • (•,"■■';.•'• Doesn'li.tliaknaw'er—sapratty, ari'feat, an','neat,'an' sweeat?- ■ --_._ ! " : ':■- Look at the cloaths on her back, they be ammonst spick-span.ncw, »::,'; r An' Tommy's faiice is as fresh as a codlin fat's wesli'd i' the dew. t : . :i;*:. (1 ' 'Ere's our Sally and Tommy, an' we be a-goin;to dino.: Beacon an' taatcs, an' a besiings-puddin't im'i Adam's wine; - -.?>■■; But if tha wants ony grog the mnn'goa' fur? it down to the Hinn, j „.. ; ( Fur. I wcant shed a drop on 'is blood, :aoa, not for Sally's oiin kin. , , ( This r is a spirited , and .admirable ballad, and will, we trust, be widely read- . The total abstainers ought to make arrangements for circulating it by the myriad .—Evangelical Standard. ..: i i„. •.■ •

* Bellowed, cried out. ; i I'll uphold 'if. X pudding mado with the first'milk' of tire cow after calving.