Wondering Brown

 

There came a man to sell his shirt,

A drunken man, in life low down!

When Riley, who was sitting near,

Made use of these strange words to brown.

 

"Yon fallen man, that's just gone past,

I knew in better days than these;

Three shillings he could make a day,

As an adept at picking peas."

 

"God help us all! I never heard-

'Tis scarce believable," said Brown;

"To think that man was what you say,

and now to be so low and down!

 

"Now Riley, had another told me,

what you have just remarked," said Brown;

"I would have doubted- help us, Heaven!

That 'tis as you have said"-Cried Brown.

 

"you'd scarcely credit it, I knew

a man in this same house, low down,

who owns a fish shop now-believe

me, or believe me not," said Brown

 

"He was a civil sort of cove,

but did queer things, for one low down:

oft have I watched him clean his teeth-

as true as Heaven's above!" Cried Brown.