THE WHARF RAT.

Observer, Volume 9, Issue 524, 5 January 1889, Page 13

THE WHARF RAT.

You feee, gents, my pal Tim an mft Wos a'takin' a qniefc swim, When a cop comes a'sueakin' along 1 the wharf, An ho nabs poor little Tim. You bol it was rough on us partners, that, ! Fur while Tim in the cooler stayed,' I His coriier'd be tuk by .smother boy A.n ml cabbage his regular trade. Bo Tim went a-'snivelin' up thcr street, With me snivelin' on behine, Wen a big man outer resterrink cum, As l&'uess nil been drinkin' wine • An he says, ' Whot'stbis here crim'nal done I' 1 Bo ther cop says, ' iev see itsngin' Ther law fur ter swim on ther city front, So I'm Tvnmm' tin 4 'Wharf-Eat in.' An they biff man laiiqhs us he looks at Tim, An lie aez, ' How much is they fine ?— Ton bob ! They charge the same fora bath They does fer a bottle of wine.' ' Wall, I k'ugss I'll pay it,' and thin he winks At me and ther cop kinder queer ; 1 But mind ycr, Hat, this is onno aloan— Yon must pay it back in a year/ An he laughs ajyin' when Tim braced up An looks him square in ther ej'e, An set-, with his list a- 'clinched this wa.y— ' j']f 1 don't sir, I hope ter die i' Well, most on a year had gone, one day 31 o and Tim wos sfcealin' a dip By the ferry wharf, weii ther boat koni in And run too hard gin they slip : An a little gal, that a big 1 man held A-setth/ upon ther rail, Wos knocked clsan over the steamer's side In the shake uv a sheepses tail. We Keen 'twere ther same rich man, an kuowed Ther ba-bby belonged ter him ; So Tim dived arfer it like a duckFur I tell yev L» saveyed ter swim. Ther passengers yelled, ther bells they banged. Till ther boat backed off from there ;_ 'J'li en we seed my pal cotched outer a pile, A grippiir the gal's 3 oi:g hair. .-.o they hauled 'em both out outer ther dock : The "i4'al .-!•>: was safa and eouud, Jjut Tim had bin hit by ther iron wheel — His side wos just one big wound. The daddy he kissed his kid, then kneeled Where Tim lay .-so white and sick : " t.-JoJ bless yer '." he scz, ; my little mav.fiomc one fetch a doctor quick !' ■ Noufio.' 6f./- Tim ; ' I'm agoin/ feii 1 . J can't pay ycr now. yev see.' Aii he Uikes from his uook a lit'.le bcitf -~ • ] 'in fourpenije short.' sex l\o. ! Don't yev savoy ther bo;y that wos toolod up, V\ r luityer lout thr-r money that dny r l 'd most pot it all made up, but now— But now, L ne\ cv kin pay.' ' Don't talk uv that,' sez the j'athorohap, His bio- tears, a'rnnuln' tree. ; ' V ou've saved my babby's life, find slio r * Yv'nvLU all they worltl tsv me !' ' Is she wuth i'ourpence:' sez Tim, so weak : 'Oh ! yes, 7 soz ther mrvii—' Give him air ! ' ' Then/ sez Tim, just. like he wasjrom' ter sleep, ' Then, mister, you and rae's square. An that was ther last word Timmie sex, An all them bier men tall Tuk oft" their hats as my pal let gv>. Yea, they did— plug bats and all ! An a gospel shr-vp as wos in their crowd, He kneeled riirht down by 1-'iro» And ho tole uv a Bible feller, as lowed Dead kids tei'cuiu ter him. I tell yer it's hard tev loss thov pal Vo've fife t'uv, starved with, an love '. But I'm betiin' as them as iss square down here Is square up there above