Can they forget each far-famed river? Sure, Patrick, me you've been beguiling, THE GREEN BUSHES. As I was a-walking one morning in May, To hear the birds whistle and see lamb kins play, I espied a young damsel; so sweetly sang she, Down by the green bushes, where she chanced to meet me. "O, why are you loitering here, pretty maid?" "I'm waiting for my true love," softly she said. "Shall I be your true love, and will you agree To lave your own true love, and folly with me? "I'll give you fine bavers, and fine silker gowns ; I'll give you smart petticoats, flounced to the ground; I'll buy you fine jewels, and live but for thee, If you'll lave your own true love, and folly with me." "I want none of your bavers, nor fine silks or hose, For I'm not so poor as to marry for clothes ; But if you'll be constant and true unto me, I'll lave my own true love, and marry with thee. 'Come, let us be going, kind sir, if you please, O, let us be going from under these trees; For yonder is coming my true love, I see, Down by the green bushes, where he thinks to meet me." And when he came there and found she was gone, He looked very sheepish, and cried quite forlorn, "She's gone with another, and forsaken me, And left the green bushes, where she vowed to meet me." IF I HAD A THOUSAND A-YEAR. "OH! if I had a thousand a year, Gaffer Green, But I ne'er shall have it, I fear, And what sights I would see, "The best wish you could have (take my word, Robin Rough) If Will not pay for your beer; bread and your But be honest and true, Say what would you do, you had got a thousand a-year, Robin Rough? Oh! if you had got a thousand a-year !" "I would do why, I cannot tell what, Gaffer Green? I would go I scarcely know where ! And leave others to think, While I lived on a thousand a-year, Gaffer Green! While I lived on a thousand a-year!” "And when you are aged and gray, Robin Rough, And the day of your death it draws near, What, 'midst all your pains, Would you do with your gains, then had a thousand a.year, Robin Rough? If you If you then had a thousand a-year!" "I ne'er can tell what you're at, Gaffer Green, Your questions are always so queer; I suppose so must I." "What! and give up your thousand a-year ! What and give up your thousand a-year ! "There's a place, too, that's better than this, Robin Rough, And I hope in my heart you'll go there, Though he has no estate, As one with a thousand a-year, Robin Rough! Aye, as if he had a thousand a-year." JUDGE NOT A MAN. JUDGE not a man by the cost of his clothing, Unheeding the life-path that he may pursue; Or, oft you'll admire a heart that needs loathing, And fail to give honor where honor is due. The palms may be hard, the fingers stiffjointed, The coat may be tatter'd, the cheek worn with tears; But greater than kings are labors anointed, You can't judge a man by the coat that he wears. [Repeat the two last lines of each verse.] |