Page:Barnes (1879) Poems of rural life in the Dorset dialect (combined).djvu/452

436 Vor he’ve a-been so good to-year, An’ han’t a-mell’d wi’ any squabbles, An’ han’t a-drown’d his wits in beer, An’ han’t a-been in any hobbles. I never thought he’d turn out bad, He always wer so good a lad; But now I’m sure he’s better still, Drough Mrs Bingham, off o’ drill.”

Jeäne Hart, that’s Joey Duntley’s chaïce, Do praise en up wi’ her sweet vaïce, Vor he’s so strait’s a hollyhock (Vew hollyhocks be up so tall), An’ he do come so true’s the clock To Mrs Bingham’s coffee-stall; An’ Jeäne do write, an’ brag o’ Joe To teäke the young recruits in tow, An’ try, vor all their good, to bring em, A-come from drill, to Mrs Bingham.

God speed the Colonel, toppèn high, An’ officers wi’ sworded thigh, An’ all the sargeants that do bawl All day enough to split their droats, An’ all the corporals, and all The band a-plaÿèn up their notes, An’ all the men vrom vur an’ near, We’ll gi’e em all a hearty cheer, An’ then another cheerèn still Vor Mrs Bingham, off o’ drill.