Nutty-

You've nailed another one! Congratulations. And it does seem that I was correct in assuming that this song came from the early 1800's.

It's interesting that the third verse in the boradside doesn't sound as racist as the way most of us learned it:

My wife she comes in when I sit at my ease,
She scolds me and she grumbles and does as she please;
She may scold and she may grumble 'till she's black in the face as a coal,
Give me the punch ladle I'll fathom the bowl.(CHO)

However, the length of the third line is rather arkward and I would suggest shortening it:

My wife she comes in when I sit at my ease,
She scolds me and she grumbles and does as she please;
She may scold and she may grumble 'till she's black as a coal,
Give me the punch ladle I'll fathom the bowl.(CHO)

Cheerily,
Charley Noble