Heaw Johnny Kept His Promise Poem by William Baron

Young Joh'nny-o'-th'-Heights wur a frolicsome blade,
But as dacent a lad as e'er hondled a spade;
He could clear th' five-barred gate like a deer, at a beawnd,
He wur strong as a lion, an' swift as a heawnd,
'An at runnin' a race ther wur nooan could gooa th' pace
Wi' Johnny, for twenty mile reawnd.

Neaw, Johnny wur courtin' wi' young Mally Green,—
A sweet, winsome maiden wi' soft hazel een ;
An' tho' Johnny's natur' wur fearless an' rough,
Wi' Mally he allus wur tender enough ;
An' hur heart heaved wi' pride as hoo walked at his side,
For hoo knew he wur med o' th' reet stuff,

One neet, when he'd left hur at th' owd cottage-gate,
He hurried back whoam, for he knew it wur late ;
But nowt like a welcome awaited him theer,
Thowt Johnny : “It strikes me ther's summat wrong here ;”
For his mother wur sittin' on the squab wi' hur knittin',
While th' owd mon looked peevish i' th' cheear.

'Aw'll tell tha what, Johnny,' his feyther begun,
'Aw've getten plump tired o' thi carryin's on ;
Yon lass 'at theaw'rt gooin' wi' doesno' suit me,
For ther's nowt mich abeawt hur so far as aw see;
Hoo's nice-lookin', no deawt, but aw'll tell tha streyt eawt,
'At hoo's nooan a fit partner for thee.

'Aw want tha to drop off thi courtin' fro' neaw,—
It's no use thee sulkin' an' lookin' so feaw !
Theaw mun put every thowt o' yon lass at one side,—
Ther's nowt ever done, lad, afore it's bin tried ;
An' theaw'st hev a new suit, an’ a gowd watch to boot,
Wi' an albert to match it, beside.'


While Johnny stood thinkin' o' what he mut do,
A happy thowt struck him 'at cleared up his broo.
' Neaw, feyther,' he said, ' aw'll be candid an' plain,—
If yo'll buy that suit, an' that gowd watch an' chain,
Fro' th' first time they're worn, as true as aw'm born.
Aw'll never gooa courtin' again.'

Well, Johnny geet donned in his new Sunda' best;
An' he looked some an' smart wi' th' gowd chain on his breast.
'Aw'm sure,' sed his feyther, ' O th' nayburs ‘ll say
'At theaw'rt th'sprucest young felley for miles reawnd this way;
But think on, mi lad, what theaw promised thi dad—
Theaw's finished wi' courtin' to day!”

But Johnny, th' same mornin', met Mally on th' sly,
An' they went an' geet wed into th' owd church close by.
When th' service wur ended 'at med 'em i' one,
Sed Johnny, ' Come, let's tell mi dad what we've done;
He's fause, in his way, but aw fancy to-day
He'll be forced to admit aw'm th' best mon.'

When he landed back whoam wi' his newly-med bride,
Th' owd chap stared at booath wi' his een oppent wide.
' Theaw's soon gone an' brokken thi promise,' he sed,
' Nay,' Johnny replied, ' aw've kept th' promise aw med ;
Aw feel varra sure aw'st gooa courtin no mooar,
For this mornin' we went an' geet wed.'

Th' owd felley gav' in when he seed he'd bin tricked,
An', puttin' his hond up, he owned he wur licked
' Well, Johnny,' he sed, ' as theaw's entered i' th' strife,
Aw trust hoo may mek thee a good little wife.
Here's to thee, lad, an' hur!—may yo ne'er hev a care,
But paddle on smoothly throo life! '