I'M A DECENT BOY FROM IRELAND
(from the singing of Charlie Chamberlin)
(Doerflinger - 'Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman' - pp278-279)

I'm a de-cent boy from Ire-land, I've claimed it as my home.
Quite sor-ry for to tell you, boys, I was forced fro it to roam.
Brought up by hon-est par-ents, who loved their Pad-dy dear,
And of-ten by the fire-side they would whis-per in my ear:

Be kind to your old par-ents when their locks are turn-ing gray.
Re-mem-ber boys, in child-hood they have nursed you man-y's the day.
they have treat-ed you with kind-ness, with man-y* and man-y's* the smile.
You'll nev-er know their val-ue till they lay be-neath the soil.

At first I did not notice that I had led a desperate life,
And a couple of years after, I got myself a wife.
But Fortune proved unknow-m; Death came to my cabin door
And stole away my bonny bride I was forced to roam once more.

Kind friends, don't be offended; I would like to please you all.
If ever I pass this dear old town I will make another call.
We will sing the same songs over as we did in days of yore.
Be kind to your old parents, although they're old and poor