"DE MAIDEN MIT NODINGS ON."

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 477, 13 March 1869, Page 3

"DE MAIDEN MIT NODINGS ON."

An amusing collection of ballads written in the mock heroic style, by an American author named Charles G. Leland, is likely to have an extensive circulation in these colonies, where the works of Artemus Ward and other American wits have been so extensively read. The ballads are not written in the Yankee dialect, like the stories by Artemus and others, but in a droll mixture of broken English and Yankeefied German, such as is spoken by German immigrants to the United States. Asaspecimen of the droll humor of the book, we quote the last piece, a ballad:— Der noble Eitter Hugo Von Schwillensaufenstein, Eode out mit shpeer and helmet Und he coom to de panks of de Ehine. Und oop dere rose a meer-maid, Vot hadn't got nodings on, Und she say, ' Oh, Eitter Hugo, Vhere you goes mit yourself alone ?' And he says, ' I rides in the creenwood, Mit helmet und mit shpeer, Till I cooms into em Gasthaus, Und dere I trinks some beer.' Und den outspoke the maiden Vot had'nt got nodings on: ■ '. I tont dink mooch of peoplesb. Dat trinks mid demselfs alone. 'You'd petter coom down in the wasser. Ver -. ere's heeps of dings to see, Und haf e a splendid tinner And drafel along mid me, ' Dere you see de fisch a schwiming,' Und you catch dem efery one :'— So sang dis wasser maiden Vot handn't got nodings on. ' Dere ish drunks all full mit money In ships dat vent down of old; Und you helpsh yourself, by dunder! To shimmerin' crowns of gold. 'Shoost look attb.eseshpoonsandvatcb.es! Shoost see dese diamant rings ! Coom down and fill your bockets. Und I'll giss you like efery dings. ' Vot you vantsh mit your schnapps and Coom down into der Ehine! [lager?' Der ish pottles der Kaiser Charlemagne Vonce filled mit gold-red wine V Dat fetched him—he shtood all shpellShe pooled his coat-tails down, [pound; She drawed him oonder der wasser, De maiden mit nodings on.