I’m Regina Mendosena, and I’m Irish if you please, Me mither was an actress and me faither sailed the seas; And for culture and for travel, it was hard to beat the pair-- I’m Regina Mendosena and ’tis me that is their heir. They made me Queen of Ireland when mither flew the town; They gave me Madden’s old shebang when faither’s ship went down; They gave me Crazy Mary’s goats when Crazy Mary died, And they’re going to kape me going till I gits to be a bride. I’m Regina Mendosena, queen of all of Shanty Town, Me pus’nal friends admiring all the contour of me gown; Me pus’nal friends remarking on the browness of me eyes, I’m Regina Mendosena--but I wonder if they lies? I’m Regina Mendosena, and ’tis when to Mass I go, I gown meself discreetly with me braidings in a bow; I’m Regina Mendosena, I’m the same and not the same, For I lay aside me titles and me very ancient name. THE GIRL FROM SOAP SUDS ROW Oh! Mistress Margaret Esther Snow, She lived way down in Soap Suds Row; She came to school in a gingham frock, With breakfast stains upon her smock. Oh! Mistress Margaret Esther Snow Is rather poor as we all know; Her socks are a most unusual sight, And her shoes are never quite watertight. She missed her lessons most every day; She seemed too sad to want to play; So Miss McHugh, our teacher grave, Said she was meeker than any slave. She so admonished poor Mistress Snow, That the little girl longed for Soap Suds Row; And lastly, the teacher, to make her bright, Gave her a piece to learn to recite. For three whole days we didn’t know The piece she had given to Mistress Snow; But on Monday morning Miss McHugh Said: “Margaret will speak for the 2-A-2.” Then Mistress Margaret Esther wailed, And all of us girls in sympathy paled; But all of a sudden she walked right out, She tossed her head as she turned about. She made a most wonderful Grecian bow That someone had taught her in Soap Suds Row; Her eyes were shining--she wasn’t afraid, And she spoke “The Charge of the Light Brigade.” Did she speak that piece? Well, I guess she did. ’Twas a fight to a finish--she took off the lid; The up-stairs classes--they heard her shout, And the principal came to see what ’twas about. But Mistress Margaret--she never stayed-- She gave us the whole of “The Light Brigade.” You could smell the smoke, you could see each gun; You could hear the galloping horses run. And we sat stunned in the 2-A-2. When we saw what Soap Suds Row could do; For she told of the battle and everything done, With everyone dead and the glory won. Sometimes her voice was like sugar plums, And then it shook with the noise of drums; And the girls upstairs, they thought ’twas true That there was a fight in the 2-A-2.