The Poetry Corner

Mary Hanner's Peanner.

By John Hartley

When aw cooarted Mary Hanner, Aw wor young an varry shy; An shoo used to play th' peanner Wol aw sheepishly sat by. Aw lang'd to tell her summat, But aw railly hadn't th' pluck, Tho' monny a time aw started, Yet, somha aw allus stuck. Aw'm sewer shoo must ha guess'd it, But shoo nivver gave a sign; Shoo drummed at that peanner; - A'a! aw wish it had been mine! Aw'd ha chopt it into matchwood, - Aw'd ha punced it into th' street, It wor awful aggravatin, For shoo thumpt it ivvery neet. Aw'd getten ommost sickened, When one day another chap Aw saw thear, an he'd getten Mary Hanner on his lap. Aw didn't stop to argyfy, - But fell'd him like an ox; An Mary Hanner tried to fly On top o'th' music box. But he wor gam, - an sich a job Aw'd nivver had befor, We fowt, but aw proved maister, An aw punced him aght o'th' door. Then like a Tigercat, at me Flew ragin Mary Hammer; - Yo bet! shoo could thump summat else, Besides her loud peanner! Aw had to stand an tak her blows, Until shoo'd geeten winded; "Tha scamp!" shoo says, "tha little knows What bargainin tha's hindered! Awr Jack had nobbut coom to pay, Becoss he's bowt th' peanner, An nah tha's driven him away!" "Forgie me, Mary Hanner." Aw ran aghtside an sooin fan Jack, An humbly begged his parden; - "All reight," - he sed, "aw'm commin back," He didn't care a farden. He paid her th' brass, then fetched a cart, An hauled away th' peanner; - We're wed sin then, an nowt shall part, Me an mi Mary Hanner.