Читать книгу Modern Street Ballads - John Ashton - Страница 29

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It’s fun for to hear, as you walk up and down,

The fashionable cries of great London town.

A strong deal table to be sold to night,

Penny a lot oysters, come run, fetch a light,

Here’s good eating apples, a penny the lot,

Now who’ll buy a cap or a bonnet box;

Clothes pegs, or lines, buy a clothes prop,

Here’s fine Cauliflowers, who’ll buy a Mop?

Live fleas with a gold chain round their neck,

Here’s fine young peas sixpence a peck,

Songs three yards a penny, Oh! what a lie!

For half of them are not there, what they do cry.

Fine pickled salmon, warranted sound,

And good salt cod, a penny a pound.

Here’s the last dying speech, I forgot to tell,

Fine Cabbage plants, young lambs to sell,

Do you want any matches, ma’m, to day,

Buy a pit ticket, or a bill of the play,

Good strong laces, a halfpenny each,

Two bunches a penny, spring watercress.

Clothes, sale clothes the Jews do cry,

Mutton, Apple, Beef, all hot, toss or buy,

Dust O, dust, and sweep soot O,

Fine pickled eels feet, now here’s a go,

Buy a bird cage, fine summer cabbage,

Walk up now, and see the Indian savage.

Here’s lily white mussels, a penny a quart,

Fine ripe plums, now the blooming sort,

Penny a head celery, a good woman’s cap,

Buy a brush, a hair broom, or a door mat,

Here are mild red herrings, a halfpenny each,

Come move on there, says the New Police.

Wood three bundles a penny, all dry deal,

Now who’ll buy a good flint and steel,

Buy a walking stick, a good ash stump,

Hearth stones, pretty maids, a penny a lump,

Fine mackerel, penny a plateful, sprats,

Dog’s meat, ma’am, for to feed your cats.

Twelve a penny walnuts, crack and try em,

Fine barcelonies, now who’ll buy em?

Here are good mealy potatoes from Paddy’s land,

Good burning turf and lily white sand,

I think, good friends, I have kept you too long,

The next cry is, now who’ll buy my song.

The Modern Police is the outcome of the old Watch, which, always inefficient, had become so much so, as to necessitate its abolition, and, under the auspices of Sir Robert Peel[17] the “New Police,” as they were called, were formed, and they commenced their duties on September 29, 1829. Until a very recent time they wore swallow-tailed coats and tall hats, and were the subjects of good-humoured witticisms from all. There is no doubt but that the change of costume to the tunic and helmet has induced a better class of men to join the force, and has raised its standard of efficiency immensely. Whitaker for 1888 gives the number of the Metropolitan Police as 13,855.