Part 5

My dress-coat is spouted, my dress-coat ain't here. While you in your ball-robes go splendid, my dear! To parties with you I'm invited, you know; But my best coat is spouted--my boots are no go. The deuce take My Uncle, that rascally knave! This pledging and pawning has made me his slave. At the thought of his sign-post then three times I bawl: While my trousers hang lonely and dark on the wall.

Farewell to thee, dear one, so lovely and rich! My dress-coal is spouted--confound every stitch. One would think that the devil through all my affairs-- Love, business, and fun--had been sowing his tares! My dress-coat is spouted, my dress-coat ain't here, While you in your ball-robes go splurging, my dear! And the luck of the devil is loose over all, While my trousers hang lonely and dark on the wall!

AHASUERUS.

THE SONG OF THE WANDERING JEW.

Ich bin der alte Ahasuér.

I am the old Ahasuér; I wander here, I wander there. My rest is gone, My heart is sair; I find it never; Never mair.

Loud roars the storm, The mill-dams tear; I cannot perish, O Malheur! My heart is void, My head is bare: I am the old Ahasuér.

Belloweth ox, And danceth bear; I find them never, Never mair. I'm the old Hebrew On a tear; I order arms, My heart is sair.

I'm goaded round I know not where; I wander here, I wander there. I'd like to sleep, But must forbear: I am the old Ahasuér.

I meet folks alway Unaware; My rest is gone, I'm in despair. I cross all lands, The sea I dare: I travel here, I wander there.

I feel such pain, I sometimes swear; I am the old Ahasuér. Criss-cross I ramble Anywhere: I find it never, Never mair.

Against the wall I lean my spear; I find no quiet, I declare. My peace is lost, I'm in despair; I swing like pen~ dulum in air.

I'm hard of hearing, You're aware. Curaçoa is A fine liquéur. I listed once En militaire. I find no comfort Anywhere.

But what's to stop it? Pray declare. My peace is gone, My heart is sair; I am the old Ahasuér. Now I know nothing, Nothing mair.

THE SONG OF THE WIDOW, CLARA BAKETHECAKES.

FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN.

Oh, John! oh, John, was kummst du net by? Bin ja zu habe, bin Wittfrah und frei: Weis mehr vom heiren als all die Maid' Weiss Haus zu halta und sell forstrate.

Oh, John! oh, John! why not hasten to me? I'm to be had; I'm a widow and free. I know more of marriage than any young maid; I can keep house too, and that firstrate.

I have house, chairs, and table, and bed so tall, And that is far better than nothing at all; And though I once have been married before, I want to again, love--yes--all the more!

Those who live single don't know how to live, Never a cent for such life would I give; Just come and marry, oh, sweetest of men; Come to-morrow,--or now, dear--I don't care when.

But if you don't come, love, I'll go marry Ned; Thoughts of him long, love, have passed through my head. But I love you far better, and that is a fact; With yearning for you, soul and body are racked.

Ned is too old, and two children has he, And tougher and healthier you seem to be. But if you don't ask me this week, without doubt, Ned will be mine--so you'd better look out!

What is your will, John? Come, let it be seen; Long, ah, too long, dear, unmarried I've been; And longer I long not unmarried to stay; John! come and wed, and we'll drive care away!

THE HERRING.

Ein Häring liebt' eine Auster Im kühlen Meeresgrund.

A herring loved an oyster, An oyster in the South; And all the herring longed for Was a kiss from her pearly mouth.

But the oyster, she was scornful, And always stayed at home; Shut up in her proud shell castle, Where never a kiss could come.

But one summer-eve she opened Her shell by a special grace; For she fain in the ocean mirror Would look at her lovely face.

The herring came swimming quickly, And darted his head right in; And, 'Now,' said he, 'or never, 'Sweet love, a kiss I'll win!'

But as to reach his darling, Too far his head he leaned, Snap came the shells together, And he was guillotined.

All in the rosy sunlight He floated from the shore; And from his throat came gurgling, 'I'll never love oyster more!'

FROM THE GERMAN GIPSY.

An o isma me wium. Pasch i chamaskri me beschdum, Chadscherdi me pium, Jake mato me wium!

I went to a tavern in the town, By a table I sat me down, Drank of brandy half-a-crown, Drunk as the devil I tumbled down.

Drunk as the devil I tumbled down, When I went to a tavern in the town, And drank of brandy half-a crown, As by a table I sat me down.

As by a table I sat me down, I drank of brandy half-a-crown, When I went to a tavern in the town, And drunk as the devil I tumbled down.

I drank of brandy half-a-crown, When I went to a tavern in the town, And drunk as the devil I tumbled down, As by a table I sat me down.

_To be repeated as often as the singer obtains possession of two-and-six-pence_.

BRIGAND SONG.

Air,--_Von Weber's_ Derniere Pensée.

'S giebt kein schönres Leben Als das Räuberleben In dem düstern, düstern, düstern Wald.

There's no life is nobbier Than to be a rob-bier, In the gloomy, gloomy, gloomy wood. Always blood a-drinkin', Killin' folks like winkin', Little hinfants murderin' all we could.

Comes a carriage glidin', Or a feller ridin', Or a tinker travellin' with his cram. Then each jovial rover Holloas out, 'Shell over! For your life we do not care a d--n!'

DIE ZWEI FREUNDE.

Ich habe nur zwei Freunde auf dieser Erde hier, Und immer in der Mitternacht da kommen sie zu mir.

Der erste liegt begraben im fernen Span'schen Land, Der zweite war ertrunken bei Alikante's Strand.

Ihr Kommen ist mir Wonne--Ihr Scheiden bitt're Pein, Wenn beide wieder weichen im gold'nen Morgenschein.

Der Erste bei Kobolden macht sicheren Gewinn, Der Zweite ist vermählet mit einer Meergöttin.

Was kümmert mich das Sterben wenn ich nur Freunde hab', Im Wasser--in der Erde--im feucht und trockenen Grab.

Und sterb' ich wie ein Heiliger der geht in's Himmelreich, Und schwing' ich an dem Galgen--mir ist es alles gleich.

C. G. L.

THE TWO FRIENDS.

I have two friends, two glorious friends--two braver could not be, And every night when midnight tolls they meet to laugh with me.

The first was shot by Carlist thieves, two years ago, in Spain; The second drowned near Alicante,--while I alive remain.

I love to see their dim white forms come floating through the night, And grieve to see them fade away in early morning light.

The first with gnomes in the Underland is leading a lordly life, And the second has married a mermaiden, a beautiful water-wife.

And since I have friends in the earth and sea, with a few, I trust, on high, Tis a matter of small account to me, the way that I must die.

For whether I sink in the foaming flood, or swing on the triple tree, Or die in my bed, as a Christian should, is all the same to me.

C. G. L.

TO THE READER.

Gatter wela? Gatter stéla? Ap miro tschavo, ste!--German Gipsy.

I know not where you come from, I care not where you go; But this I'll bet my hand on, Thou art a goode felówe.

I know not of your kindred, I know not who you be; But I am decidedly of the opinion, that if you have read this book through from the title down to the present line, and enjoyed the perusal thereof as I have the translating, You're just the one for me. Vale!

* * * * * JOHN CHILDS AND SON, PRINTERS.