The Old Furniture Book, with a Sketch of Past Days and WaysMoore, N. Hudson
History
The Old Furniture Book, with a Sketch of Past Days and Ways
Moore, N. Hudson
Furniture
"I am not very industrious, but I work a little, read a little,
play on the harpsichord, and find my time fully taken up with
daily employments."
There is an old song given in "Historic Landmarks of Maryland and
Virginia" as being one which Nellie Custis used to sing, accompanying
herself on the harpsichord. We wonder who selected for her.
"THE TRAVELER AT THE WIDOW'S GATE.
"A traveler stop't at a widow's Gate,
She kept an Inn and he wanted to bait;
She kept an Inn and he wanted to bait;
But the widow she slighted her guest,
But the widow she slighted her guest,
For when nature was forming an ugly race,
She certainly moulded the traveler's face
As a sample for all the rest, as a sample for all the rest.
The chambermaid's sides they were ready to crack
When she saw his queer nose and the hump on his back;
A hump isn't handsome, no doubt;
And though t'is confessed the prejudice goes
Very strongly in favor of wearing a nose,
A nose shouldn't look like a snout.
A bag full of gold on the table he laid,
'T had a wondrous effect on the widow and maid,
And they quickly grew marvelous civil;
The money immediately altered the case,
They were charmed with his hump and his snout and his face,
Though he still might have frightened the devil.
He paid like a prince, gave the widow a smack,
And flop'd on his horse at the door like a sack,
While the landlady, touching his chin,
Said, 'Sir, should you travel this country again,
I heartily hope that the sweetest of men
Will stop at the widow's to drink.'"
The names of some other popular songs of this period were "The White
Cockade," "Irish Howl," "Hessian Camp," "Nancy of the Mill," "Every
Inch a Soldier," "When Nichola First to Court Began," "Baron Steuben's
March," "Sweet Village of the Valley," "King of Sweden's March," etc.
The Revolutionary echoes seemed to be still reverberating.
[Illustration: Figure 89. BASS VIOL.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account