' M the Mate," quoth he, "Of the 'Mary Anne,'"

As she opened the door to him,

And I'm all the way from the state of New York,

With a present, I've got from Jim!"

"O dear!" said she, "It's a pleasure to see

A friend, who has known my son,

We've a party, enjoying the evening tea,

And you're just in time for fun."

"Ah! thank you," said he, "I would like to explain,

The chest, is a cumbersome weight,

I'd have brought it myself; but I hadn't the dimes,

To cover the cost of the freight.

"It's a matter of seventeen shillings and six,

But you see, I am one of the crew,

I'd have paid it myself, for sake of your son,

If I could have lifted my screw."

He hung up his hat, and went in to the tea,

Said he to a girl, who was there,

"You're the livin' dead image of my chum Jim,

Regardin' yer figure, and hair."

Said he to another, "Yer like yer mother,

But still the expression of Jim,

Is a playin' around yer beautiful smile,

A perfeck sister of him.

"I guess you are soft, on the ring that I wear,"

And he 'splayed his horney fist,

"I'd like you to wear it, for honor of Jim,

'Twould almost bangle your wrist!

"For savin' his wife, from a shark, I got

The trinket, at Scooperaboo,

From a Monarch, who gave it me, out of his nose,

I'm proud to present it to you.

"The ring is too grand, for my tanned hand,

It's a valuable old gew gaw,

I'm skeered, I'd be robbed o' the thing some night,

In the grip of a lawless claw.

"I guess he'll be proud to see it, and hear,

That I have presented to you,

The ring that I got, for savin' the wife,

Of the Monarch of Scooperaboo.

"I've a bauble that's here, on a link of my chain,

It's made of a nugget I got,

I never can know it, I'll maybe be darned!

Or drowned! or skivered! or shot!

"It's a nugget to waste, with a fellow like me,

To be sportin' it out of the shop,

Here! take it by gum! you're the mother of Jim!

Or maybe I'd put it in pop."

"Ah! Sir" said the mother "You're far too kind!"

As he fastened it on to her chain,

"Will you keep this locket in place of it? there,

I will never require it again,"

"Aha!" said he, "It's a moral, to see

You're the spirit of Jim all out,

I'll have it, and wear it, for honour of Jim,

Without no manner of doubt.

"Let somebody travel with me to-night,

Who will carry the luggage ashore,

I'll bring all your compliments out to Jim,

If I may not see you no more."

Said a girl, who was there, with auburn hair,

Who hadn't been talking free,

"The weather is dark, and you say the ship,

Is out some yards at sea,

"It's better that two, should travel with you,

The journey's a little too far,

And one'll take charge of the present from Jim,

The other, can go for a car."

So two of the gentlemen, offered to go,

Who had been at the evening tea,

And they all shook hands, and the three took tramp,

To the wall, by the wailing sea.

"I guess that we ought to be havin' a quench,"

Said the Mate, "For I always do,

I never go thirsty, aboard at night,"

So he went, and treated the two.

"You'll pull a cigar with me, by gum!

I'll get them 'and jest you set,'"

He went with his purse, to the bar to pay,

And they have not seen him yet!

But whether he's shot, or whether he's drowned,

Or darned, the Host did say,

Behind the bar, as he pulled a pint,

That "the drink was still to pay!"

She laughed a laugh, when the twain returned,

"You're a mighty discerning pair!"

And she posed her nose, with a tilted tip,

Did the girl, with the auburn hair.

They all suggested, a different way,

Of finding the missing Mate,

"Put out your brains," said the auburn hair,

"On a clean, blue pattern plate.

"And twig a few of the cobwebs off,

From Scooperaboo, look there!

We've Brumagem trinkets, of glass, and brass!"

Said the girl, of the auburn hair.