Recitations with Music.
Nothing renders a recitation more acceptable to any audience than snatches of music, some of the words being sung, if the reader has a voice for singing. The change from reciting to singing should be made easily, and you should be fully confident that you can carry through the part to be expressed by the notes of music, and sing the words effectively.
This will require practice, but will repay you for the time spent in preparation. Selections for song and recital combined are here presented, which cannot fail to captivate your audience if they are skillfully rendered.
TWICKENHAM FERRY.
The words to be sung, or that should receive the prolonged sound indicated by the notes, are printed in italics. Remember you are calling to some one in the distance.
“O-hoi ye-ho, Ho-ye-ho, Who’s for the ferry?
The briars in bud, the sun is going down,
And I’ll row ye so quick and I’ll row ye so steady,
And ’tis but a penny to Twickenham Town.”
The ferryman’s slim and the ferryman’s young,
And he’s just a soft twang in the turn of his tongue,
And he’s fresh as a pippin and brown as a berry,
And ’tis but a penny to Twickenham Town.
O-hoi ye-ho, Ho-ye-ho, Ho-ye-ho, Ho.
2.
“O-hoi ye-ho, Ho-ye-ho, I’m for the ferry,
The briars in bud, the sun going down,
And it’s late as it is, and I haven’t a penny,
And how shall I get me to Twickenham Town?”
She’d a rose in her bonnet, and oh! she look’d sweet
As the little pink flower that grows in the wheat,
With her cheeks like a rose and her lips like a cherry,
“And sure and you’re welcome to Twickenham Town.”
O-hoi ye-ho, Ho-ye-ho, Ho-ye-ho, Ho.
3.
O-hoi ye-ho, Ho, you’re too late for the ferry,
The briars in bud, the sun going down,
And he’s not rowing quick and he’s not rowing steady,
You’d think ’twas a journey to Twickenham Town.
“O hoi, and O ho,” you may call as you will,
The moon is a rising on Peterham Hill,
And with love like a rose in the stern of the wherry,
There’s danger in crossing to Twickenham Town.
O-hoi ye-ho, Ho-ye-ho, Ho-ye-ho, Ho.
GRANDMOTHER’S CHAIR.
The words to be sung are printed in italics.
My grandmother she, at the age of eighty-three,
One day in May was taken ill and died;
And after she was dead, the will of course was read,
By a lawyer as we all stood by his side.
Five hundred dollars to my brother did she leave,
The same unto my sister, I declare;
But when it came to me, the lawyer said, “I see
She has left to you her old arm chair.”
And how they tittered, how they chaffed,
How my brother and sister laughed,
When they heard the lawyer declare
Granny had only left to me her old arm chair.
I thought it hardly fair, still I said I did not care,
And in the evening took the chair away;
The neighbors they me chaffed, my brother at me laughed,
And said it will be useful, John, some day:
When you settle down in life, find some girl to be your wife,
You’ll find it very handy, I declare;
On a cold and frosty night, when the fire is burning bright,
You can then sit in your old arm chair.
What my brother said was true, for in a year or two,
Strange to say, I settled down in married life;
I first a girl did court, and then the ring I bought,
Took her to the church, and when she was my wife,
The girl and I were just as happy as could be,
For when my work was over, I declare,
I ne’er abroad would roam, but each night would stay at home,
And be seated in my old arm chair.
One night the chair fell down; when I picked it up I found
The seat had fallen out upon the floor;
And there to my surprise I saw before my eyes,
Ten thousand dollars tucked away, or more.
When my brother heard of this, the fellow, I confess,
Went nearly mad with rage, and tore his hair;
But I only laughed at him, then said unto him, “Jem,
Don’t you wish you had the old arm chair?”
John Read.
[Repeat words with music.]
PUT YOUR SHOULDER TO THE WHEEL.
The words to be sung are in italics.
Some people you’ve met in your time, no doubt,
Who never look happy or gay;
I’ll tell you the way to get jolly and stout,
If you’ll listen awhile to my lay.
I’ve come here to tell you a bit of my mind,
And please with the same, if I can;
Advice is my song, you will certainly find,
And a motto for every man.
So we will sing, and banish melancholy;
Trouble may come, we’ll do the best we can
To drive care away, for grieving is a folly;
Put your shoulder to the wheel is a motto for ev’ry man.
We cannot all fight in this battle of life,
The weak must go to the wall;
So do to each other the thing that is right,
For there’s room in this world for us all.
“Credit refuse,” if you’ve money to pay,
You’ll find it the wiser plan;
And “a dollar laid by for a rainy day,”
Is a motto for every man.
A coward gives in at the first repulse;
A brave man struggles again,
With a resolute eye and a bounding pulse,
To battle his way amongst men;
For he knows he has only one chance in his time
To better himself, if he can;
“So make your hay while the sun doth shine,”
That’s a motto for every man.
Harry Clifton.
[Repeat the part to be sung.]
A BRIGHTER DAY IS COMING.
The words in italics are to be sung.
“Tired,” ah, yes, so tired, dear, the day has been very long,
But shadowy gloaming draweth near, ’tis time for the even song.
I’m ready to go to rest at last, ready to say, “Good night;”
The sunset glory darkens fast, to-morrow will bring me light.
Sing once again, “Abide with me” that sweetest evening hymn,
And now “Good night,” I cannot see, the light has grown so dim.
“Tired” ah, yes, so tired, dear, I shall soundly sleep to-night,
With never a dream, and never a fear, to wake in the morning’s light.
It has seemed so long since morning tide, and I have been left so lone,
Young, smiling faces thronged my side when the early sunlight shone,
But they grew tired long ago, and I saw them sink to rest,
With folded hands and brows of snow, on the green earth’s mother breast.
Helen Burnside.
[Repeat the words with music.]
KATY’S LOVE LETTER.
Sing the words printed in italics.
Och, girls dear, did you ever hear, I wrote my love a letter.
And although he cannot read, sure I thought ’twas all the better;
For why should he be puzzled with hard spelling in the matter,
When the meaning was so plain that I love him faithfully?
I wrote it, and I folded it, and put a seal upon it;
’Twas a seal almost as big as the crown of my best bonnet;
For I would not have the Postmaster make his remarks upon it,
As I said inside the letter that I loved him faithfully,
I love him faithfully,
And he knows it, oh, he knows it! without one word from me.
My heart was full, but when I wrote, I dared not put the half in,
The neighbors know I love him, and they’re mighty fond of chaffing;
And I dared not write his name outside, for fear they would be laughing,
So I wrote, “From little Kate to one whom she loves faithfully.”
I love him faithfully,
And he knows it, oh, he knows it! without one word from me.
Now, girls, would you believe it, that Postman, so consaited,
No answer will he bring me, so long as I have waited;
But maybe there isn’t one for the raison that I stated,
That my love can neither read nor write, but he loves me faithfully.
He loves me faithfully,
And I know where’er my love is, that he is true to me.
Lady Dufferin.
DOST THOU LOVE ME, SISTER RUTH?
A COMIC DUET.
The persons who present this recital should appear in Quaker costume and stand near each other, face to face. It can be made very amusing. The change from reciting to singing adds greatly to the effect. Sing the words in italics, and make appropriate gestures.
1. Simon.—Dost thou love me, Sister Ruth?
Say, say, say!
Ruth.—As I fain would speak the truth,
Yea, yea, yea.
Simon.—Long my heart hath yearned for thee,
Pretty Sister Ruth;
Ruth.—That has been the case with me,
Dear engaging youth.
2. Simon.—Wilt thou promise to be mine,
Maiden fair?
Ruth.—Take my hand, my heart is thine,
There, there, there. [Salutes her.]
Simon.—Let us thus the bargain seal.
O, dear me, heigh-ho!
3. Simon.—Love like ours can never cloy,
Humph! humph! humph!
Ruth.—While no jealous fears annoy,
Humph! humph! humph!
Simon.—O, how blessed we both should be,
Hey down, ho down, hey!
Ruth.—I could almost dance with glee,
Hey down, ho down, hey!
John Parry.
TWO LITTLE ROGUES.
Says Sammy to Dick,
“Come, hurry! come quick!
And we’ll do, and we’ll do, and
we’ll do!
Our mammy’s away,
She’s gone for to stay,
And we’ll make a great hullabaloo!
Ri too! ri loo! loo! loo! loo! loo!
We’ll make a great hullabaloo!”
Says Dick to Sam,
“All weddy I am
To do, and to do, and to do,
But how doesth it go?
I so ’ittle to know,
That, what be a hullabawoo?
Ri too! ri loo! woo! woo! woo! woo!
Thay, what be a hullabawoo?”
“Oh, slammings and bangings,
And whingings and whangings;
And very bad mischief we’ll do!
We’ll clatter and shout,
And knock things about,
And that’s what’s a hullabaloo!
Ri too! ri loo! loo! loo! loo! loo!
And that’s what’s a hullabaloo!
“Slide down the front stairs!
Tip over the chairs!
Now into the pantry break through!
Pull down all the tin-ware,
And pretty things in there!
All aboard for a hullabaloo!
Ri too! ri loo! loo! loo! loo! loo!
All aboard for a hullabaloo!
“Now roll up the table,
Far up as you are able,
Chairs, sofa, big easy-chair too!
Put the lamps and the vases
In funny old places.
How’s this for a hullabaloo?
Ri too! ri loo! loo! loo! loo! loo!
How’s this for a hullabaloo?
“Let the dishes and pans
Be the womans and mans;
Everybody keep still in their pew;
Mammy’s gown I’ll get next,
And preach you a text.
Dick! hush with your hullabaloo!
Ri too! ri loo! loo! loo! loo! loo!
Dicky! hush with your hullabaloo!”
As the preacher in gown
Climbed up and looked down,
His queer congregation to view,
Said Dicky to Sammy,
“Oh, dere comes our mammy!
She’ll ’pank for dis hullubawoo!
Ri too! ri loo! woo! woo! woo! woo!
She’ll ’pank for dis hullabawoo!
“O mammy! O mammy!”
Cried Dicky and Sammy,
“We’ll never again, certain true!”
But with firm step she trod
To take down the rod—
Oh, then came a hullabaloo!
Bo hoo! bo hoo! woo! woo! woo! woo!
Oh, then came a hullabaloo!
Mrs. A. M. Diaz.
ARKANSAW PETE’S ADVENTURE;
Arkansaw Pete, a frontier-backwoodsman, who sings the solo. Chorus, three lively city gentlemen.
1. Now ladies and gents, who here I see,
Snap-poo!
I pray you listen unto me,
Snap-poo!
And I’ll relate what came to pass
when I lived down in Ar-kan-sas,
Snap-poo! Snap-Peter!
Fi-lan-thi-go-shee-ter!
Snap-poo!
2. While riding home one Saturday night,
Snap-poo!
I passed Miss Smith’s and thought I’d light,
Snap-poo!
So I hitch’d my hoss and in did go,
Just for to spend an hour or so.
Chorus (marching up and down,
and snapping fingers at Pete).
and snapping fingers at Pete).
Snap-poo! Snap-Peter!
Fi-lan-thi-go-shee-ter!
Snap-poo! (Repeat chorus.)
3. When to the door I had safely got,
Snap-poo!
She came and pok’d her sweet head out,
Snap-poo!
Said she right out, “Why, Mister Pete!
Oh, do walk in and have a seat!”
(Chorus.)
4. With easy step and a jolly heart,
Snap-poo!
I bounded in just like a dart,
Snap-poo!
And, oh, you may bet, I felt all hunk
When into a chair by her I sunk.
(Chorus.)
5. Our chairs got closer as we two rock’d,
Snap-poo!
My throat swell’d up till I most chok’d,
Snap-poo!
At length they struck, and came to a stop—
Now, now, thinks I,’s the time to “pop!”
(Chorus.)
6. I tried to look in her love-lit eyes,
Snap-poo!
They were clear and blue as summer skies,
Snap-poo!
Not a word could I speak—alas! poor Pete!
Though she look’d good enough to eat.
(Chorus.)
7. I look’d at her, and she look’d at me,
Snap-poo!
I heard my heart say pee-dee-dee,
Snap-poo!
I twisted my chair, and cross’d my feet—
I’d never seen anything half so sweet.
(Chorus.)
8. My tongue grew thick, and my eyes stuck out,
Snap-poo!
My hands flew nervously about,
Snap-poo!
And, before I could their motion check,
They grabb’d that gal right ’round the neck!
(Chorus.)
9. She haul’d away with her pretty fist,
Snap-poo!
She gave my jaw an awful twist,
Snap-poo!
It seem’d an hour before I spoke—
I thought by gum, my head was broke!
(Chorus.)
10. The racket we made brought her ma-ma,
Snap-poo!
Who straightway call’d her great pa-pa,
Snap-poo!
He kicked me out—and, you bet, I fled
That gal won’t do, thinks I, to wed!
(Chorus.)