OR, THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY AND THE JUVENILE MENDICANT.
Who lurks in the slums? Who goes ragged and wild?
A villanous father and vagabond child;
That urchin roams prowling, of swag in pursuit,
By begging and stealing to keep the old brute.
"Oh father! oh father! that rum cove d'ye twig?
He looks so hard at me—he knows I'm a Prig!
To hook it, and mizzle, my best way would be."
"No, stoopid, that cove ain't no crusher—not he."
"Oh father! oh father! he keeps looking here;
He's coming to nab me—that 'ere blessed Peer;
It is the Earl-King with his Book and his School."
"No, no, 'tis some pantiler only, you fool."
"Hi! wilt thou come with me, neglected young wretch?
I'll shield thee, I'll save thee, from gaol and Jack Ketch,
In work and in study thy time I'll employ,
And feed thee, and clothe thee, and teach thee, my boy."
"Oh father! oh father! you'd best let me go;
There's the Earl-King's new Hact; and they'll take me, I know:
And you'll have to fork out too, yourself, by and by."
"Oh gammon, oh gammon! that 'ere's all my eye."'
"Come, come, and be taught, you young varlet, I say,
Or else, silly child, I shall walk thee away."
"Oh father! oh father! I know'd I was right:
The Earl-King has grabbed me!—got hold of me tight."
The nice father put down his pipe and his pot,
And around him, bewildered, he stared like a sot:
"Hallo! you young beggar, vere are yer?" he said.
But the poor boy to school with the Earl-King had fled!