"Ye reputation of ye Mayde, Is dewdrop to ye root Of wedded life, that canks ye blight, Or ripes ye wholesome fruit, Then part thee boy, from Susan Lee, Her ways and lightsome game, As Jabez Gray, behave thee well, Respect thy Sire, his name!" [Illustration: Willow Oh and Wallow!] Ah! well a day, for Jabez Gray, O wallow was his woe, It stung his heart with pain and rue, That Mayden Lee should go, Alack! Ah! me, that such should be, But compensation came, For he was true, as Jabez Gray, Unto his Sire, his name. He gave unto ye Mayde, ye sore, And sorry last farewell, Ye pang unto his crinkled heart, Was gall of woe to tell! But from his conscience, filial faith, With healing balsam came His heart unto, for he was true, Unto his Sire, his name. [Illustration] O then 'twas his, 'twas Jabez Gray's Reward and recompense, To hear his Sire bespeake ye Mayde, In fond and future tense, He pry'd it in ye dark of night, Beyond ye garden gate, "I'll wed thee Sue, myself, to save Thy name from evil prate." [Decoration] He heard ye Sire bespeak ye Mayde, In tender guise, ye same, As he did plead, before ye split, To save ye Sire, his name. He heard ye Parent, tell to Sue, Ye lack of manly sense, Of him, ye son, and with ye kiss, He spake in future tense. [Decoration] Ye little month did pass, and then, Ye Parent wed ye Mayde, And this, ye counsel to ye son, In confidence he say'd, "Ye Spinster Sue is now ye Wife, Of fair and goodly fame, Be duteous to her, as ye son Respect thy Sire, his name!" [Illustration] [Illustration: MADAM STIFFIN'S GHOST]