The Poetry Corner

Marie Louise

By William Henry Drummond

Dis was de story of boy an' girl Dat 's love each oder above de worl' But it 's not easy job for mak' l'amour W'en de girl she 's riche an' de boy he 's poor All de sam' he don't worry an' she don't cry, But wait for good chances come bimedy. Young Marie Louise Hurtubuise Was leev wit' her meder la veuve Denise On fines' house on de w'ole chemin From Caribou reever to St. Germain For ole woamn 's boss on de grande moulin. W'ere dere 's nice beeg dam, water all de tam An'season t'roo runnin' jus' de sam' Wit' good leetle creek comin' off de hill Was helpin' de reever for work de mill So de grande moulin she is never still. No wonder Denise she was hard to please W'en de boy come sparkin' Marie Louise For affer de foreman Bazile is pay De mill she 's bringin' t'ree dollar a day An' for makin' de monee, dat 's easy way. An' de girl Marie, O! she's tres jolie, Jompin' aroun lak de summer bee She 's never short plaintee t'ing to do An' mebbe she ketch leetle honey too, 'Cos she 's jus' as sweet as de morning dew. An' w'en she was dress on her Sunday bes' An' walk wit' her moder on seconde mess Dere 's not'ing is bring de young man so fas' An' dey stan' on door of church en masse So res' of de peop' dey can hardly pass. An' she know musique, 'cos on Chris'mas week W'en organ man on de church is sick (S'pose he got de grippe) dat girl she play Lak college professor, de pries' is say Till de place it was crowd nearly ev'ry day. Ole le Cur Belair of St. Pollinaire, Dat 's parish ten mile noder side riviere, If he 's not gettin' mad, it was funny t'ing W'en hees young man fly lak bird on de wing Wit' nobody lef' behin' to sing. An' nex' t'ing dey know it 's comin' so Dat mos' of de girl she got no beau, An' of course dat's makin' de jealousie For w'en de young feller he see Marie He see not'ing else on hees eye, sapree! Mus' be somet'ing done sure as de gun, It's all very well for de boy have fun But dere 's noder t'ing too, must n'tbe forget, Dere 's two fine parish dat 's all upset An' mebbe de troub' is n't over yet. So ev'ry wan say de only way Is gettin' young Marie Louise marie, Den dey have beeg meetin' on magasin, W'ere he sit on de chair Aleck Sanschagrin, An' dey'point heem for go on de grande moulin. But w'en Aleck come dere for arrange affaire, Ole Madame Denise she was mak' heem scare For jus' on de minute she see hees face She know right away all about de case An' she tole Bazile t'row heem off de place. Now de young Bazile he was t'ink good deal Of Marie Louise an' he 's ready for keel Any feller come foolin' aroun' de door So he kick dat man till he 's feelin' sore, An' Aleck he never got back no more. If it 's true w'at dey say, Joe Boulanger Was crazy to fight Irish man wan day W'en he steal all de pork on hees dinner can, Den it is n't so very hard onderstan' Bazile Latour mus' be darn smart man. For nobody know de poor feller Joe W'en he 's come from de grande moulin below 'Cept hees moder,dat's tole heem mak' prom- ise sure Kip off on de mill, an' Bazile Latour, (But it 's long before doctor can mak' heem cure). Den de ole Denise she was very please, An' nex' day spik wit' Marie Louise, "Ma girl, I got de right man for you If you can only jus' love heem true, Bazile dat young feller, I t'ink he 'll do." "Wall! Moder he 's poor, Bazile Latour, But if you t'ink you will lak heem sure I 'll try an' feex it mese'f some day For you 've been de good moder wit' me alway" An' dat 's w'at Marie Louise she say. So it 's comin' right affer all de fight, An' de parish don't see de more finer sight Dan w'en dey get marry on St. Germain W'y de buggy she 's pilin' de w'ole chemin All de way from de church to de grande moulin.