Broadside ballad entitled 'The Poor Drunkard's Child'

Transcription

THE POOR

DRUNKARD'S

CHILD.

In taking of my walks on a cold winter's day,
Thro' the fields and the lanes I wended my way,
Till I arrived at a hovel both rustic and wild,
I heard a voice say, I'm a poor drunkard's child.

In this lonely place I am doomed to die,
There's no one to help me, there's no one comes nigh,
I'm shivering with cold and distracted tho' wild,
Kind heaven look down on a poor drunkard's child.

My clothes are all ragged and tattered and torn,
I'm despised, dejected, forsaken, and forlorn,
The world on me frowns, all seemeth unkind,
No sympathy's shown to the poor drunkard's child.

When I used to attempt with the children to play,
They fied from my presence and shunned my way,
To make me a playmate, alas ! they recoil'd,
And often cried out that's a poor drunkard's child.

My mother did die in a workhouse hard by,
Left me a poor orphan to weep and to sigh,
Broken-hearted she died, look'd to heaven and smil'd,
Crying Jesus protect thee my poor drunkard's child.

My father he used to spend all our store,
Which caused our misery and made us so poor,
But his glass soon ran out, and God not reconcil'd,
He died frantic and left me a poor drunkard's child.

O Jesus, my Saviour, unfold thy bless'd arms,
Receive me with love, and endear with thy charms,
Take my soul to bless'd mansions to live in thy smile,
And thy praises I'll sing tho' a poor drunkard's child.

Poor drunkard, I pray thee, strong liquor spurn,
Shun all vicious habits, strive virtue to learn,
Be a husband, a father, both loving and kind,
' I' will be a balm to thy soul and peace to thy mind,

So now to conclude, and finish my song,
I hope what I've penned you'll not think me wrong,
Tho' I am left distress'd I will not turn out wild,
I'll show a good example tho' a poor drunkard's child.

Printed and Sold by JAMES LINDSAY, 9 King Street,
(off Trongate,) Glasgow. Upwards of 5,000 different
kinds always on hand; also, a great variety of
Song-books, Picture-books, &c. Shops and Tra-
vellers supplied.

86

previous