SEEKIN FOR A HOOSE

TEUN- "The Pawnshop Bleezin."

I' THESE days hoo can poor foaks leeve?
Increasin popilayshun
Myeks hundrids wundar where they'll get
A humble habitayshun;
They nivvor build for poor foaks noo,
Withoot the rent's a reglor screw;
Iv a' the wearyj obs aw knaw,
The greatest plague amang them a'
Is seekin for a hoose, man.

War Peg an' me, one mornin' seun,
Te better war condishun,
Set off,wi' spirits high wi' hope,
Upon this expedishun.
Iv a' the windows, Peg, maw pet,
Teuk ivry paper for a "Let":
Byeth "Ginger Pop" an' "Home-made Breed"
Wes all as one-she cuddent read,
When seekin for a hoose, man.

Says one, "Ye'd better call agyen!
Ye'd better see the maister !"
So throo the street, till he arrived,
Content we had te slaister ;
He stared at us when he earn in,
Says he, "Are ye byeth clear 0' sin,
If so, aw'll gie ye the forst chance
Wi' pay'n a fortneet in advance! "
Says aw, "Huts, keep yor hoose, man!"

"Excuse us, wor not clean'd up yit!"
Says one fat wummin tiv us,
"Aw've got a splendid room te let
Up stairs, so cum up wiv us!".
She teuk us up the stairs se high,
'Twes a real "garret near the sky,"
"The rent's five shillins here a week,"
She said, an' snuff'd an' blew her beak;
Says aw, "It's not wor hoose, then!"

Anuther axt if we had bairns,
Says aw, "We've had iIliven,
But sad te say, thor's fower deed,
An' noo thor's only siven!"
Says she, "We'll not heh children here!"
Says aw, "Yor sum aud maid, aw fear,
Aw wundor whe on orth got ye?
Where did ye spend yor infancy?
Ye'll gie the bairns ne hoose, then!"

Sum places ye mun gan in seun,
An' not stop oot at neet, man,
In uthers ye dor hardly speak,
Ye cannet de owt reet, man;
For little rooms rents high 'ill be,
Withoot a back-yard fit te see;
We've trail'd aboot for mony a day,
But cannet get for luv or pay,
A decent sort ov hoose, man.

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