About the tow'r an' churchyard wall,
Out nearly overright our door,
A tongue ov wind did always call
Whatever we did call avore.
The vaice did mock our neaemes, our cheers,
Our merry laughs, our hands' loud claps,
An' mother's call "Come, come, my dears"
—my dears;
Or "Do as I do bid, bad chaps"
—bad chaps.
An' when o' Zundays on the green,
In frocks an' cwoats as gay as new,
We walk'd wi' shoes a-meaede to sheen
So black an' bright's a vull-ripe slooe
We then did hear the tongue ov air
A-mocken mother's vaice so thin,
"Come, now the bell do goo vor pray'r"
—vor pray'r;
"'Tis time to goo to church; come in"
—come in.
The night when little Anne, that died,
Begun to zicken, back in May,
An' she, at dusk ov evenen-tide,
Wer out wi' others at their play,
Within the churchyard that do keep
Her little bed, the vaice o' thin
Dark air, mock'd mother's call "To sleep"
—to sleep;
"'Tis bed time now, my love, come in"
—come in.
An' when our Jeaene come out so smart
A-married, an' we help'd her in
To Henry's newly-painted cart,
The while the wheels begun to spin,
An' her gay nods, vor all she smil'd,
Did sheaeke a tear-drop vrom each eye,
The vaice mock'd mother's call, "Dear child"
—dear child;
"God bless ye evermwore; good bye"
—good bye.