VII
My mot must now be growing old,
And so am I if the truth be told;
But the only vay to get on in the vorld,
Is to go with the stream, and however ve're twirld,
To bear all rubs; and ven ve suffer
To hope for the smooth ven ve feels the rougher,
Though very hard, I confess it appears,
To be lagged, for a lark, for fourteen years.
[1: picking pockets] [2: plunder] [3: pocket] [4: money; mistress] [5: Notes] [6: food] [7: clothes; money] [8: hat] [9: drunken] [10: watch; pocketbook] [11: pockets his money] [12: ran off] [13: indulge in banter] [14: Notes] [15: inform] [16: betray] [17: neck] [18: persuaded] [19: police; arrested] [20: transported]
"NIX MY DOLL, PALS, FAKE AWAY" [Notes] [1834]
[By W. HARRISON AINSWORTH, being Jerry Juniper's chaunt in Rookwood.]
In a box of the stone jug I was born, [1]
Of a hempen widow the kid forlorn, [2]
Fake away! [3]
And my father, as I've heard say,
Was a merchant of capers gay, [4 ]
Who cut his last fling with great applause.
Nix my doll, pals, fake away! [5]
To the time of hearty choke with caper sauce. [6]
Fake away!
The knucks in quod did my schoolmen play, [7]
Fake away!
And put me up to the time of day, [8]
Until at last there was none so knowing,
No such sneaksman or buzgloak going, [9]
Fake away!
Fogles and fawnies soon went their way, [10]
Fake away!
To the spout with the sneezers in grand array, [11]
No dummy hunter had forks so fly, [12]
No knuckler so deftly, could fake a cly, [13]
Fake away!
No slourd hoxter my snipes could stay, [14]
Fake away!
None knap a reader like me in the lay. [15]
Soon then I mounted in swell street-high,
Nix my doll, pals, fake away!
Soon then I mounted in swell street-high.
And sported my flashest toggery, [16]
Fake away!
Fainly resolved I would make my hay,
Fake away!
While Mercury's star shed a single ray;
And ne'er was there seen such a dashing prig,
With my strummel faked in the newest twig, [17]
Fake away!
With my fawnied famms and my onions gay, [18]
Fake away!
My thimble of ridge and my driz kemesa, [19]
All my togs were so niblike and plash. [20]
Readily the queer screens I then could smash. [21]
Fake away!
But my nuttiest blowen one fine day, [22]
Fake away!
To the beaks did her fancy-man betray, [23]
And thus was I bowled at last,
And into the jug for a lag was cast,
Fake away!
But I slipped my darbies one morn in May, [24]
And gave to the dubsman a holiday, [25]
And here I am, pals, merry and free,
A regular rollicking romany. [26]
[1: cell; Newgate] [2: woman whose husband has been hanged; child] [3: work away!] [4: dancing master] [5: never mind, friends] [6: hanging] [7: thieves; prison] [8: taught me thieving] [9: shoplifter; pickpocket] [10: silk handkerchiefs; rings] [11: pawnbrokers; snuffboxes] [12: pocket-book; nimble fingers] [13: pickpocket; steal] [14: inside pocket buttoned up] [15: steal a pocketbook] [16: best made clothes] [17: hair dressed; fashion] [18: hands bejewelled; seals] [19: gold watch; lace-frilled shirt] [20: clothes; fashionable; fine] [21: forged notes; pass] [22: favorite girl] [23: magistrates; sweetheart] [24: handcuffs] [25: warder] [26: gypsy]
THE GAME OF HIGH TOBY [Notes] [1834]
[By W. HARRISON AINSWORTH in Rookwood].