TEMPERANCE SONGS,
READINGS,
AND RECITATIONS.

TEMPERANCE
KILL'D THROO A FALL DOONSTAIRS.
READING OR RECITATION.

"WHAT a nice young chep Jack Harley is ! " the neybors a' wad say,
As, clean an' neat, he left the hoose te gan te wark each day;
An' a cheerful smile lit up his fyece whenivor he luckt back,
An' nodded tiv his canny wife an' little bairn, young Jack.
An' the little fellow nodded tee, an' shooted-" Da, ta! ta!"
It myed Jack turn an' smile agyen at this sweet scene he saw.
An' he often thowt an' said he was the happiest 0' men,
An' happier felt, when wark wes deun, te be at hyem agyen.
Ivrything went on first-rate, an' Jack had little care,
Except attendin te the wants not often wanted there;
For Bessy wes a careful wife, an' easy myed ends meet:
In fact, ye cuddentfind a happier couple i' the street.
But Time browt changes te the hoose that there shud nivvor been,
An' cast a clood that nivvor yit wes lifted frae the scene:
For Jack got mates-an idle lot-that wassent fit for him,
An' filled his once bright, happy cup wi' mis'ry te the brim.
Then Jack's free disposition always myed him easy prey
Te fellows wi' the gift 0' tung, that often hes the way
Te myek ye think they like ye weel-that they're yor truest frinds ;
Weel up iv a' kinds 0' deceit, te sarve thor selfish ends,
So Jack wes seun perswayded te join them iv a spree.
Next mornin' when he wakened up, as bad as he cud be,
They teuk him te the public-hoose where they had been before,
An' when they fund thor money gyen they started" tick" te score.
Thor wark neglected, there they sat, an' kept it up for days,
Wi' the drink they raised wi' spungin an' a' such dirty ways,
Till Jack wes just as bad as them, an' fairly lost te shem,
Except when, wiva moment's pain, his mind wad wander hyern.
An' when he tried te gan away,his tempters kept him back
Frae the canny wife se true te him an' canny little Jack.
So days went on like this till Jack nowt but a drunkard turn'd:
He hated wark as he luved drink-his throat for iver burn'd
For drink-s-ay, drink, that fearful curse, had fallen upon him,
An' filled his once bright, happy cup wi' mis'ry te the brim.
One neet, his wife went on her knees, an' prayed that he wad stop,
Ay, if he'd only stop at hyem, she'd fetch him in a drop.
"If he wad only stop at hyem," she uttered wiv a sigh, "
She'd try te myek him happy, as she'd deun i' days gyen by; .
She'd cool his broo wi' wetted cloths, an' rest wad bring him roond;
A few days wad myek him better !"-an' her voice had that sweet soond,
That Jack once halted at the door, an' said-" Lass, nivvor fear !
Aw'llmyek this spree me varry last; an' when aw'm off the beer,
Aw'll gan te wark : aw'll get a job at owt if war trade's slack.
Yor seedy noo-ye want sum claes, an' so dis little Jack! "
He kissed her as he left the hoose; she smiled an' said, "Cum seun"!
She knew hoo happy they cud be if once his spree was deun.
That neet she waited lang, as she had often deun before,
An' listened te the footsteps that kept passin' bythe door;
An' little Jack laffed iv his dreams, as if he had ne care;
An' Bessy turned quite sleepy-when a footstep on the stair
Myed her start up te showa leet. She heard him stagger noo
A heavy fall doonstairs-an' then, a groan that went clean throo
The heart 0' that poor list'ner ;-then a hurried rush 0' feet
Frae the neybors, as they flew te see the dreadful wark that neet.
Poor Bessy screamed, when Jack she saw, wi' blud upon his cheek.
"Maw canny man, where are ye hurt?" but Jack, he cuddent speak.
He fixed his eyes upon his wife in anguish and remorse,
For drink had browt ne life te him, but untimely deeth -its curse!