Aw know some fowk will call it cri… To put sich stooaries into ryhme, But yet, contentedly aw chime Mi simple ditty: An if it’s all a waste o’ time,

One neet as aw trudged throo mi wa… Thinks aw, nah mi labor is done, Aw feel just inclined for a lark, For its long sin aw had onny fun. An ov coorse awd mi wife i’ mi min…

Backward turn, oh! recollection! Far, far back to childhoods’ days; To those treasures of affection, ‘Round which loving memory plays Show to me the loving faces

Young Billy Bumble bowt a pig, Soa aw’ve heeard th’ neighbors say… An monny a mile he had to trig One sweltin’ summer day; But Billy didn’t care a fig,

As through life you journey onward Many a hill you’ll have to climb; Many a rough and dang’rous pathway… You’ll encounter time and time. Now and then a gleam of sunshine,

Wod yo leead a happy life? Aw can show yo ha,— Get a true an lovin wife,— (Yo may have one nah.) If yo have, remember this,

Bonny lassie, come thi ways, An let us goa together! Tho’ we’ve met wi stormy days, Ther’ll be some sunny weather. An if joy should spring for me,

It nobbut luks like tother day, Sin Jane an me first met; Yet fifty years have rolled away, But still aw dooant forget. Th’ Sundy schooil wor ovver,

Jenny, Jenny, dry thi ee, An’ dunnot luk soa sad; It grieves me varry mich to see Tha freeats abaat yon lad; For weel tha knows, withaat a daat…

Another!—well, my bonny lad, A’w wodn’t send thee back; Altho’ we thowt we hadn’t raam, Tha’s fun some in a crack. It maks me feel as pleased as punc…

Why lad, awm sewer tha’rt ommost d… This ovvertime is killin; ‘Twor allus soa sin th’ world begu… They put o’ them at’s willin. Tha’s ne’er a neet to call thi own…

Dooant forget the old fowks,— They’ve done a lot for thee; Remember tha’d a mother once, Who nursed thi on her knee. A father too, who tew’d all day

A’a dear, what it is to be big! To be big i’ one’s own estimation, To think if we shake a lawse leg, ‘At th’ world feels a tremblin sen… To fancy 'at th’ nook 'at we fill,

‘A, Johnny! A’a, Johnny! aw’m so… But come thi ways to me, an sit o’… For it’s shockin to hearken to th’… Ther wor nooan sich like things i’… When aw wor a lad, lads wor lads,…

A little word 'at’s easy sed, Sometimes may heal a smart; A cruel word or luk instead, May help to braik a heart. Men hang together like a chain,