/ · John S. Farmer’s Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes
The Rhyme of the Rusher
The Rhyme of the Rusher
1892
By DOSS CHIDERDOSS in Sporting Times, 29 Oct. In Appropriate Rhyming Slanguage.
I
I was out one night on the strict teetote,
1 without drink
’Cause I couldn’t afford a drain;
I was wearing a leaky I’m afloat,
2 coat
And it started to France and Spain.
3 rain
But a toff was mixed in a bull and cow,
4 swell; row
And I helped him to do a bunk;
5 get away
He had been on the I’m so tap, and now
6 rap
He was slightly elephant’s trunk.
7 drunk
II
He offered to stand me a booze, so I
8 drink
Took him round to the “Mug’s Retreat;”
And my round the houses I tried to dry
9 trousers
By the Anna Maria’s heat.
10 fire
He stuck to the I’m so to drown his cares,
While I went for the far and near,
11 beer
Until the clock on the apples and pears
12 stairs
Gave the office for us to clear.
13 warning
III
Then round at the club we’d another bout,
And I fixed him at nap until
I had turned his skyrockets inside out,
14 pockets
And had managed my own to fill,
Of course, I had gone on the half-ounce trick,
15 bounce
And we quarrelled, and came to blows;
But I fired him out of the Roiy quick,
And he fell on his I suppose.
16 nose
IV
And he laid there, weighing out prayers for me,
Without hearing the plates of meat
17 feet
Of a slop, who pinched him for “d. and d.”
18 policeman; arrested; drunk and disorderly
And disturbing a peaceful beat,
And I smiled as I closed my two mince pies
19 eyes
In my insect promenade;
For out of his nibs I had taken a rise,
20 him; advantage
And his stay on the spot was barred.
V
Next morning I brushed up my Barnet Fair,
21 hair
And got myself up pretty smart;
Then I sallied forth with a careless air,
And contented raspberry tart.
22 heart
At the first big pub I resolved, if pos.,
23 possible
That I’d sample my lucky star;
So I passed a flimsy on to the boss
24 banknote
Who served drinks at the there you are.
25 bar
VI
He looked at the note, and the air began
With his language to pen and ink;
26 stink
For the mug I’d fleeced had been his head man,
27 fellow; cheated
And had done him for lots of chink.
28 robbed; money
I’m blessed if my luck doesn’t hum and ha,
For I argued the point with skill;
But the once a week made me go ta-ta
29 beak
For a month on the can’t keep still.
30 everlasting wheel=mill
Taken from
Musa Pedestris,
Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes
[1536―1896], collected and annotated by John S. Farmer.
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