RALPH ROSEWOOD

TUNE:- "Moll in the Wad."

  One day when dress'd in my new clothes,
  Says feyther to mother how our Ralph grows,
  I wonder if he never thought in his life
  Ot he'd be some day wantin o wife;
          He's in his prime,
          Un nearly time,
          Ot he should bein o' lookin out;
          Why feyther I said,
          I got in my yead,
          O lass 'ot I'm always thinkin about.

Spoken - But what's th' use fey'her o think obout her, for I'm so bash faced un shoamful, ot I could never say any thin to her; I couldn't tell what for t' say! Well, I'll tell thee then what tha mun say! What feyther? Why say -

        Lumpty tumpty, &c.
  
  I thought o nothin all that day,
  But how with this lass I'd make my way;
  When I went to bed I felt noan reet,
  For I dreomt obout her all that neet,
          Next morn I rose,
          Donn'd on my close,
          Un geet to Dolly's by break o day;
          She just coom out,
          Turn'd me obout;
          Un said what has brought thee so soon this way.

Spoken - Well, I said, if I mun tell th' real truth, my feyther un mother booath sen ot it's time I had somebody, un I can think o nobody but thee, I'd rather ha' thee than any thin in this world, except pie un my mother; un if tha winnot ha' me it will be all -

        Lumpty tumpty, &c.
  
  Says Dolly "why lad, I hardly know,
  Tha always looks so shy and slow."
  O Dolly, if we should but agree,
  You'll see how sherp and bright I'll be;
          Beside I got,
          O goods o lot;
          Un when feyther dees some more Ise t' have,
          Wi' o pound or two,
          To help us get through;
          Then laws how merry we shall but live.

Spoken - There's o good deol o househowd goods ot I know will faw to my lot; there's o wheelbarrow, but t' tringle's broken, bellows 'bout pipe, chair 'bout back, table wi' no top, un o fryin pan wi' two holes ith' middle for t' let t' blaze through when you're fryin any thin, un mony other things; amongst the rest there's -

        Lumpty tumpty, &c.
   
  While we wur talking these things o'er,
  Her feyther un mother just coom to th' door;
  They'd yeard all that had yet gone on,
  Un said in earnest I'd begun;
          When Dolly so shy,
          Cast down her eye,
          Un made o shuffle ut runnin oway;
          But they said stop,
          Come face it up,
          Un tell th' lad what tha's getten to say.

Spoken - Why you know very well I con say nothin obout it, I dunnot know what he's com'd here for. Hey, Dolly! I said, what's use o sayin that, when tha knows weel enough that I want to be made into thy lawful husband, un that tha mun gi' me thy consent, wi' o buss ot same time; and after o little bit o blushin un such like, she coom un gan me o buss ot set me singing -

        Lumpty tumpty, &c.