From the sheet music at The Levy Collection:


THE GHOST OF JOHN JAMES CHRISTOPHER BENJAMIN BINNS
Words and music by Harry Dacre
New York: S. T. Gordon & Son, ©1888.

1. Hear my song, gentle folks, and don't be afraid.
I'm only a ghost, a poor harmless shade.
I would not hurt anyone here if I could,
And you couldn't do me much harm if you would.
Knives will not stab me nor shots through me fly,
But oh! the experiment please do not try.
It's not for myself that I care, not at all.
I'm only afraid you might damage the wall.

CHORUS: I'm the ghost of John James Christopher Benjamin Binns.
I was cut down right in the midst of my sins,
For my home is down below.
I'm let out for an hour or so.
When the cock begins to crow,
Farewell, Benjamin Binns.

2. My wife she would say when I lived on this earth,
If I should die first, she'd never get wed.
Tonight I called on her; through keyholes I crept.
If ghosts could have tears, I am sure I'd have wept.
A man held my wife in his tender embrace.
She called him her hubby; he'd taken my place.
To make matters worse, and to crown all my woes,
The fellow was wearing my best Sunday clothes.

SPOKEN: The gas full on—she could not see me—but I was determined she should hear me. So I said, "Hold, mortal piece of flesh!" She shrieked and held the mantelpiece! Then I in sepulchral tones said—

CHORUS

3. On the day that I died, I left upon earth,
A family large and a boy of good birth,
Whom I taught to be honest and ever upright,
And hold on to money securely and tight,
But a short time thereafter, imagine my woe
When I heard that to Canada off he did go!
"And just like his father," the people now say.
"Good riddance, bad rubbish; he's out of the way!"

SPOKEN: But I managed to get even with the rascally lad, for each night when he lies in his restless sleep, I craw up from below and say—

CHORUS