Spring's the boy for rum going and coming it,
Smashing and dashing, and tipping it prime,
Eastward and westward, and sometimes back-slumming it,
He's for the scratch, and come up too in time;
For the victualling-office no favor he'll ask it,
For smeller and ogles he feels just the same;
At the pipkin to point, or upset the bread-basket,
He's always in twig, and bang-up for the game;
With going and tipping, and priming and timing
'Till groggy and queery, straight-forwards the rig;
With ogles and smellers, no piping and chiming,
You'll own he's the boy that is always in twig.
BOBBY AND HIS MARY [Notes] [1826]
[From Universal Songster, iii. 108].
Tune—Dulce Domum.
In Dyot-street a booze-ken stood, [1]
Oft sought by foot-pads weary,
And long had been the blest abode
Of Bobby, and his Mary.
For her he'd nightly pad the hoof, [2]
And gravel tax collect [3]
For her he never shammed the snite.
Though traps tried to detect him; [4]
When darkey came he sought his home
While she, distracted blowen [5]
She hailed his sight,
And, ev'ry night
The booze-ken rung
As they sung,
O, Bobby and his Mary.
II
But soon this scene of cozey fuss
Was changed to prospects queering
The blunt ran shy, and Bobby brush'd, [6]
To get more rag not fearing; [7]
To Islington he quickly hied,
A traveller there he dropped on;
The traps were fly, his rig they spied [8]
And ruffles soon they popped on. [9]
When evening came, he sought not home,
While she, poor stupid woman,
Got lushed that night, [10]
Oh, saw his sprite,
Then heard the knell
That bids farewell!
Then heard the knell
Of St. Pulchre's bell! [11]
Now he dangles on the Common.
[1: Notes; ale-house] [2: walk around] [3: rob passers-by] [4: police] [5: girl] [6: money; went off] [7: notes or gold] [8: object] [9: handcuffs] [10: drunk] [11: Notes]
FLASHEY JOE [Notes] [1826]
[By R. MORLEY in Universal Songster, ii. 194].