THE MAN WHO COULDN'T SAY 'NO.'

Southland Times, Issue 1292, 12 August 1870, Page 3

THE MAN WHO COULDN'T SAY 'NO.'

(From "Punch.") | Some folk cannot pronounce their 'RV — ■ That's in their proper place, Although they talk of « Paw ' and , :Mars,*' ; Which is another case. , Some folks change double ' Us ' to ' Vs,' j Which Bounds extremely lowi j—r- * My case is harder far than these, I cannot utter ' No.' Their ' HV some find rather hard, __^ When soft they ought to sound ; -' In * hour ' and 'honest,' folks debarVd Of ear oft come aground. Some wna say 'Srimp ' and ' Lewisam '— The habit's one to grow ; — But oh ! much worse than these I am, I cannot utter ' No.' My palate's right, my teeth ore good, And very even grow ; And Cambridge couldn't if it wonld, Display a better ' row.' Fm rather fluent, so to speak, My words are apt to flow ; , But in one instance I AM weak, I cannot utter ' No.' When any friend, who's in distress, Applies to me for tin, To help him out of any mess, I see the fellow grin Before I can reply ;— too well He knows my failing, so He's quite aware that I shall shell — I cannot utter ' No.' As to. the parish, itfs a joke, . : - - : - — -4 ■■- - For my subscription's paid. (It is — as shopmen say—' bespoke ') Ere the reqnest is made— For pump, school, almhousd, market, hall, Tea-feast, or penny-show, On me the first they always call— * I cannot utter ' No.' j My marriaee— -■ 'twas in Leap-year, and The lady of my choice— Or rather, I wasHßß's — (command Was in her look and voice) — Observed, ' You're mine!' Whatoouu> I say? So sudden was the blow; She on the spot arranged the day-* I couldn't ntter ' No.' Her mother, who at first would stay To luncheon or to dine (She's one quite in her daughter's way, And very much in mine), Now stops two months, or three, or four— With my permission, though ; J For, notwithstanding she's a bore, I cannot utter. ' No.' I've poor relations by the heapWhy should I call them poor ? Since they have got one who will keep The wolf from by their door. . They come in shoals, the hungry tools, One calls himself 'and 00.,' And makes me buy his wretched coals— I cannot utter * No.' One deals in wine I cannot drink ; Another's taste's harmonic ; A third, whose state of on the brink Of bankruptcy is chronic. I buy the wine, pianos too, I make the thud one glow With joy— l help him to 'pull through'— I cannot utter ' No.' My neighbors make me promise I Will sponsor be to all The children in the district j — why, The list wonld quite appal All but the silversmiths ; — alas ! For cups what must I .owe I Scarcely a month or two can passThere ! I can't utter * No.' For many a day, for many a week, . I've lain awake and wept. Stop !ltom*TmOTog»pner J -B~jrai-iee*| —^~ Where KBGU.TIVB3 are kept. Ha! ha! lake wise He! He! and yet The boisterous Ho ! ho ! Eureka ! So I soon shall get The means to utter * No !*