Page:Poems of the Great War - Cunliffe.djvu/125

 ��HER "ALLOWANCE!"

'Er looked at me bunnet (I knows 'e aint noo I) 'Er turned up 'er nose at the patch on me shoe I And 'er sez, pointed like, " Liza, what do 'e do With yer 'llowance?"

'Er looked at the children (they'm clean and they'm

neat, But their clothes be as plain as the victuals they

eat) : And 'er sez, "Why not dress 'em up fine for a treat With yer 'llowance?"

I sees 'er long feather and trimmy-up gown : I sez, as I looks 'er quite square up and dowTi, " Do 'e think us keeps 'oliday 'ere in the town With my 'llowance?"

"Not likely !" I sez. And I bids 'er "Good-day !" And I kneels on the shabby old canvas to pray For Bill, who's out fightin' such brave miles away. (And I put back a foo o' they coins for 'e may Be needin' a part — may my Bill — who can say ? — Of my 'llowance !)

— Lillian Gard.

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