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,0:, J I 'Pattr q - - -I

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,0:, J I 'Pattr q I "HALF-HANGED MAGGIE. ) (A FACT.) I N ear by the city Edinburgh Doth stand a smaller town, Which bears the name of Mussulburgh, Though not of much renown. And there a many years ago A child was cruelly drown'd Twas where the River Esk doth flow The little corpse was found. A woman for the crime was tried Margaret Dixon was her name, And through the country far and wide Was spread her wicked fame. The court her case did truly try, And then the judge did say— U Margaret, you on gallows high The penalty must pay." And she was taken to the place Where gallows grim was built, And placed within a rope's embrace To expiate her guilt. And there the lawful time she hung Till dead she seemed to be Then down was cut and reckless flung The senseless Maggie D. And in a coffin they did lay The wretched woman's form, To carry in a careless way And bury all forlorn. But as the men went on their way Their hearts began to sink They left a lad outside to stay While they went in to drink. I While they all went into a house That was the toll-bar near, And with whiskey did carouse Their spirits low to cheer. And there they drank—a jelly lot- As undertakers will; Their load of death they quite forgot, As whiskey did them fill. When suddenly the lad rushed in, With face as pale as death He glared at them, they gazed at him, And all did hold their breath. At length the lad his speech did find And to the men he said— "I heard Maggie in her coffin move I'm sure she isn't dead The men crept out in curious fright, Each willing to be last, And soon they found the lad was right, Her life had not yet passed. For they had placed her on her back With face turned to the sky But Maggie in her narrow box Now on her face did lie. And as the men more bold did grow 'f They took her from her coffin. And rubbed and poured strong whiskey in Till Maggie soon was coughing. As Maggie coughed the men did chaff And all were whiskey quaffing But when, at last, the dead did laugh They almost died with laughing. While Maggie proved she was no ghost, Although with spirit filled But up she rose and gave the toast— Here's long life to the killed Most furiously was spent that night In drinking, singing, dancing; The moon revealed a wicked sight When through the windows glancing. They danced and sang till morning's light Woke up another day The sun shone from his lofty height, But they in slumber lay. At length they rose and homeward rode, The living and the dead, That would have been had not their load To whiskey shop been led. And long in Mussulburgh did dwell This mark of hangman's fault She two sons bore, a fact known well, And got her bread by salt. But Mussulburgh no more they'd trust Te do the people's hanging; Now for his fate the murderer must To Edinburgh go ganging. To find a moral in this tale Is rather hard, I'm thinking It simply shows how death did fail u Through wicked whiskey drinking. Cardiff. GEO. WHITTICK.

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