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Oh, last Sunday night at 12 o'clock, three city sports put on their coats,
And heeled it for the Battery Road to capture Widow Dooley's goats;
When they arrived upon the scene, but soon accosted by a man,
But Darby Davis didn't mind - he put his flash-light on the nan.
Ho, oh, bad cess to Darby Davis, we'll put a bullet in his head,
When next he's seen on Battery Road, to capture goats when we're in bed;
We'll get a lead on Monkey Face, can Davis call himself a man,
To come around when graveyards yawn to capture a lone widow's nan.
Oh, with lamps and ropes and walking sticks, and elevated slights from booze,
They soon arrived on Battery Road and 'round their necks soon had a noose;
Then quickly hastened from the scene as up the road they did retreat,
Till they were captured on the cross by two policemen on their beat.
In single file they marched away till they arrived at Flower Hill,
When Widow Dooley's stately goats these bold assassins soon did kill;
Each put a quarter on his hump, and soon was frying on a pan,
When half a dozen hungry mouths demolished Widow Dooley's nan.
Now women watch the Block House well, with brooms and pickets get in shape,
And keep your gig lamps on the block when Darby Davis rounds the Cape;
For mind you do, if not you'll rue, nail up your doors in each abode,
For Davis he won't leave a kid, or damn the goat on Battery Road.
Now women mind your nanny goats and lash them tightly in the shop,
And watch for Davis on his rounds when watering for a mutton chop;
Your opera glasses brighten up, look out for Davis, Doyle and Flynn,
If they can't catch them on the ground, they're sure to take your goats to wing.
Published in Burke's Ballads, p.50, c.1960, compiled by John White and archived at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Libraries, Centre For Newfoundland Studies - Digitized Books collection.
See more songs by Johnny Burke.
From Dictionary.com:
Cess - luck (usually used in the expression bad cess to): Bad cess to them!
