Yorkshire Ditties, First Series | Page 3

dear,?An' dearer still, if that can be,?Nor what thease youngens are to thee,
Soa come,--nah do!
"A'a well!--tha'rt shy, tha hops away,--?Tha doesn't trust a word aw say;?Tha thinks aw'm here to rob an' plunder,?An' aw confess aw dunnot wonder--
But tha's noa need;?Aw'll leave yo to yorsels,--gooid bye!?For nah aw see yor daddy's nigh;?He's dropt that strain soa sweet and strong;?He loves yo better nor his song--
He does indeed."
Aw walk'd away, and sooin mi ear?Caught up the saand o' warblin clear;?Thinks aw, they're happy once agean;?Aw'm glad aw didn't prove so mean
To rob that nest;?For they're contented wi ther lot,?Nor envied me mi little cot;?An' in this world, as we goa throo,?It is'nt mich gooid we can do,
An' do awr best.
Then let us do as little wrong?To ony as we pass along,?An' never seek a joy to gain?At's purchased wi another's pain,
It isn't reet.?Aw shall goa hooam wi' leeter heart,?To mend awr Johnny's little cart:?(He allus finds me wark enough?To piecen up his brocken stuff,
For every neet.)
An' Sally--a'a! if yo could see her!?When aw sit daan to get mi teah,?Shoo puts her dolly o' mi knee,?An' maks me sing it "Hush a bee,"
I'th' rocking chear;?Then begs some sugar for it too;?What it can't ait shoo tries to do;?An' turnin up her cunnin e'e,,?Shoo rubs th' doll maath, an says, "yo see,
It gets its share.",
Sometimes aw'm rayther cross? aw fear!?Then starts a little tremblin tear,?'At, like a drop o' glitt'rin dew?Swimmin within a wild flaar blue,
Falls fro ther e'e;?But as the sun in April shaars?Revives the little droopin flaars,?A kind word brings ther sweet smile back:?Aw raylee think mi brain ud crack
If they'd ta dee.
Then if aw love my bairns soa weel,?May net a skylark's bosom feel?As mich consarn for th' little things?'At snooze i'th' shelter which her wings
Soa weel affoards??If fowk wod nobbut bear i' mind?How mich is gained by bein' kind,?Ther's fewer breasts wi' grief ud swell,?An' fewer fowk ud thoughtless mell
Even o'th' burds.
Wayvin Mewsic
Ther's mewsic i'th' shuttle, i'th' loom, an i'th frame,?Ther's melody mingled i'th' noise,?For th' active ther's praises, for th' idle ther's blame,?If they'd hearken to th' saand of its voice;?An' when flaggin a bit, ha refreshin to feel?As yo pause an luk raand on the throng,?At the clank o' the tappet, the hum o' the wheel,?Sing this plain unmistakable song:--
Nick a ting, nock a ting;?Wages keep pocketing;?Workin for little is better nor laiking;
Twist an' twine, reel an' wind;?Keep a contented mind;?Troubles are oft ov a body's own making.
To see workin fowk wi' a smile o' ther face?As they labor thear day after day;?An' hear 'th women's voices float sweetly throo 'th place,?As they join i' some favorite lay;?It saands amang th' din, as the violet seems?'At peeps aght th' green dockens among,?An' spreading a charm over th' rest by its means,?Thus it blends i' that steady old song;
Nick a ting, nock a ting;?Wages keep pocketing;?Workin for little is better nor laiking;
Twist an' twine, reel an' wind;?Keep a contented mind;?Troubles are oft ov a body's own making.
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 niver despair as you're trudgin along;?If troubles will come an' yor spirits dishearten,?Yo'll find ther's relief i' that steady old song;
Nick a ting, nock a ting;?Wages keep pocketing;?Working for little is better nor laiking;
Twist an' twine, reel an' wind;?Keep a contented mind;?Troubles are oft ov a body's own making.
Life's warp comes throo Heaven, th' weft's fun 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--ha then? Noa wayver i' th' world can produce a gooid clooath;?Then let us endeavour, bi working and striving,?To finish awr piece soa's noa fault can be fun;?An' then i' return for awr pains an contriving,?Th' takker in 'll reward us an' whisper' well done.'
Clink a clank, clink a clank,?Workin withaat a thank,?May be awr fortun--if soa never mind it!
Striving to do awr best,?We shall be reight at last,?If we lack comfort nah, then shall we find it.
That's a Fact
A'a Mary aw'm glad 'at that's thee!?Aw need thy advice, lass, aw'm sure;?Aw'm all ov a mooild tha can see,?Aw wor never i' this way afoor,?Aw've net slept a wink all th' neet throo;?Aw've been twirling abaght like a worm,?An' th' blankets gate felter'd, lass, too--?Tha niver saw cloas i' sich form.?Aw'll tell thee what 't all wor abaght--?But promise tha'll keep it reight squat,?For aw wodn't for th' world let it aght;?But aw can't keep it in--tha knows that.?We'd a meetin at the schooil yesterneet,?An' Jimmy wor thear,--tha's seen Jim??An' he hutch'd cloise to me in a bit,?To ax me for th' number o'th' hymn;?Aw thowt