Yorkshire Lyrics. John Hartley

      Published by Good Press, 2019

       [email protected]

      EAN 4064066163037

      Table of Contents

       Cover

       Titlepage

       Text

      An then see what lessons are laid out anent us,

       As pick after pick follows time after time,

       An warns us tho' silent, to let nowt prevent us

       From strivin by little endeavours to climb;

       Th' world's made o' trifles, its dust forms a mountain,

       Then nivver despair as yor trudgin along,

       If troubles will come an yor spirits dishearten,

       Yo'll find ther's relief i' that steady owd song;

       Nick a ting, nock a ting;

       Wages keep pocketin;

       Workin for little is better nor laikin;

       Twist an twine, reel an wind;

       Keep a contented mind;

       Troubles are oft ov a body's own makin.

      Life's warp comes throo Heaven, th' weft's faand bi us sen,

       To finish a piece we're compell'd to ha booath;

       Th' warp's reight, but if th' weft should be faulty, how then?

       Noa waiver ith' world can produce a gooid clooath.

       Then let us endeavour by workin an strivin,

       To finish awr piece so's noa fault can be fun,

       An then i' return for awr pains an contrivin,

       Th' takker in 'll reward us and whisper "well done."

       Clink a clank, clink a clank,

       Workin withaat a thank,

       May be awr fortun, if soa nivver mind it,

       Strivin to do awr best,

       We shall be reight at last,

       If we lack comfort now, then shall we find it.

      Jimmy's Choice.

      One limpin Jimmy wed a lass;

       An this wor th' way it coom to pass—

       He'd saved a little bit o' brass,

       An soa he thowt he'd ventur

       To tak unto hissen a wife,

       To ease his mind ov all its strife,

       An be his comfort all throo life—

       An, pray, what should prevent her?

      "Awve brass enuff," he sed, "for two,

       An noa wark at awm foorced to do,

       But all th' day long can bill an coo,

       Just like a little pigeon.

       Aw nivver have a druffen rant;

       Aw nivver praich teetotal cant;

       Aw nivver booast at awm a saint,

       I' matters o' religion.

      "Then with a gradely chap like me,

       A lass can live mooast happily;

       An awl let all awr neighbors see

       We'll live withaat a wrangle;

       For if two fowk just have a mind

       To be to one another kind,

       They each may be as easy twined

       As th' hannel ov a mangle.

      "For love's moor paar nor oaths an blows,

       An kind words, ivverybody knows,

       Saves monny a hundred thaasand rows;

       An soa we'll start wi kindness;

       For if a chap thinks he can win

       Love or respect wi oaths an din,

       He'll surely find he's been let in,

       An sarved reight for his blindness."

      Soa Jimmy went to tell his tale

       To a young lass called Sally Swale,

       An just for fear his heart should fail,

       He gate a drop o' whiskey.

       Net mich, but just enuff, yo see,

       To put a spark into his e'e,

       An mak his tongue a trifle free,

       An mak him strong an frisky.

      Young Sally, shoo wor varry shy,

       An when he'd done shoo breathed a sigh,

       An then began to sob an cry

       As if her heart wor brokken.

       "Nay, Sally lass—pray what's amiss?"

       He sed, an gave a lovin kiss,

       "If awd expected owt like this,

       Awm sewer awd ne'er ha spokken."

      At last shoo dried her bonny een,

       An felt as praad as if a queen;

       An nivver king has ivver been

       One hawf as praad as Jimmy.

       An soa they made all matters sweet,

       An one day quietly stroll'd up th' street,

       Till th' owd church door coom into seet—

       Says Jim, "Come, lass, goa wi me."

      Then wed they wor an off they went

       To start ther life ov sweet content;

       An Sally ax'd him whear he meant

       Ther honey-mooin to spend at?

       Says Jim, "We're best at hooam, aw think,

       We've lots o' stuff to ait an drink."

       But Sally gave a knowin wink,

       An sed, "Nay, awl net stand that.

      "Tha needn't think aw meean to be

       Shut up like in a nunnery;

       Awm fond o' life, an love a spree,

       As weel as onny other."

       "Tha cannot goa," sed Jim, "that's flat."

       "But goa aw shall, awl tell thee that!

       What wod ta have a woman at?

       Shame on thee for sich bother!"

      Jim scrat his heead, "Nah lass," sed he,

       "One on us mun a maister be,

       Or else we'st allus disagree,

       An nivver live contented."

       Sed Sal, "Awd ne'er a maister yet,

       An if tha thowt a slave to get,

       Tha'll find thisen mista'en, awl bet;