THE NEYBOR ABUV

TEUN- "When gud luck shows its fyece."

"Aw's a wummin that minds ne affairs but me awn,"
Says lang Nancy Joblin te me,
"But aw think thor's sum things that a body shud knaw,
An' sum things that a body shud see;
There's the neybor abuv been a fortneet upstairs,
An' aw cannet for munny or Iuv
Get te knaw whe she is,-neethur where she cums frae,
She's a myst'ry that neybor abuv;
Yis she is,
She's a queer un that neybor abuv.

"For lucks she wad pass iv a crood, ye wad say,
An' her figor's not really bad myed;
She's got sofa, chairs, cheeney cups, an' gud ware,
An' a new fower-powl feather bed;
An' a fine chist 0' draw'rs, an' a black satin dress,
An' her hand's nivvor clear ov a gluv;
Aw've thowt she's a widow,-but sometimes aw think not,
She's a myst'ry that neybor abuv;
Yis she is,
She's a queer un that neybor abuv!

"The forst Munday neet she went oot te the play,
On Tuesday she went there agyen,
On Wednesday mornin she nivvor got up,
Had her brickfist i' bed aboot ten,
Got her dinner at three,-nivvor had ony tea;
Be the smell ov her breeth aw cud proove
Thor wes sumthing had gyen doon her throttle mair strang,
She's a cawshun that neybor abuv.
Yis she is,
She's a mazer that neybor abuv.

"On Thursday a sowljor ran briskly upstairs,
An' stopt nearly a' the whole day;
A sailor at neet nearly stopt te dayleet,
An' for days they've gyen on i' that way;
But whichivor's her man aw can nivvor conseeve,
For they all appear'd deeply i' luv;
Ne better is she-then a wummin shud be,
She's a cramper that neybor abuv;
Yis she is,
She's a queer un that neybor abuv!

" But last week a noise myed us open me eyes,
For the sowljor an' sailor had met
On the stairs,-an' a fight like a public-hoose row
Teuk place i' the eyes 0' thor pet;
But she stopt it wi' thrawin dorty wetter doon stairs,
Then she hoy'd them byeth oot wiv a shuv;
Aw've seen them ne mair, neether knaw them nor care,
She's a geezer that neybor abuv!
Yis she is,
She's a cawshun that neybor abuv!"

Source: Joe Wilson,(author) Songs and Drolleries, 1890