Further Afric Echoes

By gar! I tell-a you, t'ings don't stop Since da war he come wit' a rush, When Nicko, da boss at da fry-fish shop, He sack-a Black Sam, da slush. I tella you how Nick t'row Sam out An' say for to notta come back; An' I tella how Sam play turn about An' launch-a da count' attack. Well, t'ings dey move like da grease-a-da-light. Nick speak-a to four, five friend, An' he say: 'We make-a raid tonight An' bringa dis war for end.' So dey find-a where Sam an' his friends hang out, An' dey snap-a da fing' at da law When dey make-a da plan for da midnight rout An' da dirty sock-a-da-jaw. But Sammo he got da spy in da camp, An' he catch-a da hint what drp, So he spill-a da tale of Nicka da scamp In da ear of da corner-a cop. Den da cop meet Nick an' his friends dat night An' make t'rcat for the runnin' dem in But Nick say: 'Call-a you'seluf da white For proteck black Abb-da-sin?' Say da cop: 'Datta be about all from you. More bettra you buzz off, lad, Or you cool-a da heel, an' you cobber, too.' Den Nicko he wile like-a mad. An' he say: 'Do dey smash-a my shop, by gar, An' I catch-a no compensaish'? Santa da Luce! What you t'inkin' you are Da bloom-a League-a-da-Naish?' Den Nick get wile, an' his frien's get wile, An' da cop get wile like 'ell; An' da lingua dey use, so you hear for a mile, It not-a for me to tell, But da cop he cool off by by an'-a by, An' he say: 'Cut-a out da swank! You make-a da peace, or me, I apply Da eco-da-nomic sanc'.' 'Now I tells da boys (da cop he say) From da ironwork out-a da back, An' da girls from da jam-fac' over da way To declare-a you' fry-fish black! What-a you do den, Mista Musso-da-lin? Datta food for t'ink, ole quince.' But Nicko, he grinnin' da sickly grin; An' he t'ink hard ever-a since.