Aw wur
[deawn]
at th’
Mechanics last
[Sutterday]
neet,
An’ oh! let
[me]
tell yo’, aw
[had]
sich a
[treat]
;
Had
[aw]
known ’at they’d had as
[mich]
talent as that,
Aw’d ha’ gone afore neaw, iv aw’d popp’d mi owd hat.
There wur
[o’macks]
o’ tradesmen, sit smokin’ i’ th’ room,
There wur blacksmiths fro’ th’ anvil, an’ weavers fro’ th’ loom,
Mechanics an’ joiners, an’ snobs not a few,
Professors o’ music, an’ schoomesturs too;
There wur piecers, an’ spinners, an’ managers there,
Come to spend a few heawrs, an’ to drive away care.
There’s pappers for those ’at’s a fancy to read,
Wi’ o’ shades ov opinion, to suit every creed;
An’ moor, even yet, iv yo’re wantin’ to sup,
There’s coffee provided, a penny a cup;
An’ rare stuff it is, for it’s boath strong an’ sweet,
It’s a capital beverage for Setterday neet.
Aw’ve more to say yet, but afore aw go fur,
Aw should just loike to mention th’ good feelin’ there wur;
Everyone seemed determined to do what he could
For those at wur near him – an’ reet ’at he should,
For its easy to give a kind word or a smile,
’At might have good effect, an’ be felt a great while.
Aw wur gradely surproised
[when]
aw entered, to see
Aw con tell yo’ it welly browt tears i’ mi een,
For aw’d thowt to misel’ aw should hardly be seen;
But
[bless]
yo, aw’d scarcely got inside o’ th’ dur,
When two or three met me, an’ ax’d heaw aw wur.
In a minute or two one o’ th’ principal men
Geet howd o’ mi’ hont an’ reet shook it again;
Aw hope he’ll
[noan]
shake it i’ that way again;
By jingo! he very nee poo’d me on th’ floor,
An’ that would do noan – aw should look sich a seet
Ceawered theer at full length, ov a Setterday neet!
Neaw yo’ chaps ’et loike music should just pop in theer,
Yo may listen for nowt, so it
[conna]
be
[dear]
;
Yo’ ne’er yeard sich singin’ for aw never did,
They sung and they played, an’ it seawnded so sweet,
’At aw thowt aw could sit theer, un’ hearken
[o']
neet.
Eh! aw wur some weel pleased, but then do yo’ see,
There’s
[nob'dy]
mich fonder o’ music nor me.
There’s some at loikes ’bacca, an’ others loike snuff,
But awm noan so partial to that sort o’ stuff;
Iv yo’
[offer]
me summat ’at tastes middlin’ noice,
Yo’ll ha’ no no need to ax me to have a bit twice.
Tak notice, neaw lads, what aw write wi mi pen,
For iv
God spares mi loife aw shall go theer again;
An’ aw’ll tell everybody aw happen to meet
Heaw aw
[looked]
at th’
Mechanics o’ Setterday neet.
It’s far afore ceawerin’ at th’ alehouse awm sure;
It keeps a young fellow moor manly an’ pure.
It’s far afore ceawerin’ awhoam ov a lump,
As ignorant o’ th’ world as ony owd stump;
It’s far afore goin’ to th’ theatre, too,
For awm certain we’n theatre-goers enoo.
What we’re wantin’ at present is real sterlin’ men,
Wi’ a talent for speakin’ or usin’ a pen,
Wi’ courage to do what they know to be reet,
Noan
[5 characters illegible] o’ their actions bein’ browt eawt to th’ leet;
It’s these soart o’ fellows we wanten to find,
Summat worth coin’ men ¬– great giants i’ mind.
Well, where are sich chaps to be fun’ do yo’ think?
Noan at
th’ “Q,” where they spend o’ they get upo’ drink;
Yo’ll ha’ no need o’
[lookin’]
at th’ corner o’ th’ street,