Chapter XXIV: Chilvern's Ballad--The Moral

Chilvern has got a Ballad which Medford sets to music. It is illustrated by tableaux vivants, performed by Miss Adelaide Cherton, Cazell, and Milburd.

"Farewell," cries Corporal Tim.
"Farewell," said Molly, to him;
"You're going," says she,
"I'm going," says he,
"To fight in Tartary Crim."
(_Sadly._) "To fight in Tartary Crim!"

"I see," sobs Corporal Tim,
"You're eyes with weeping are dim."
"No, no," says she,
"Don't stop for me,
But go to Tartary Crim."
(_More sadly._) "Oh! go to Tartary Crim!"

"One word," says Corporal Tim;
"I have a young friend called Jim,
He'll act to you,
Like a brother would do,
While I'm in Tartary Crim."
(_Most sadly._) "While you're in Tartary Crim."

"The ship is off!" cried Tim.
He raised his hat by the brim;
He waved it about,
While she sobbed out,
"He's off to Tartary Crim."
(_Frantically._) "He's off to Tartary Crim."

Now this young man called Jim,
Was strong and not too slim;
He was a tar,
On a man-of-war,
Arrived from Tartary Crim.
(_Cheerfully._) Arrived from Tartary Crim.

Now this young man called Jim,
He took a holiday whim;
Says he, to Molly,
"Oh, let's be jolly,
While _he's_ in Tartary Crim."
(_Jovially._) "While he's in Tartary Crim."

One day, said Jovial Jim,
"I've got some news of Tim;
His ship, three-decked,
Was smashed and wrecked,
On leaving Tartary Crim."
(_Dubiously._) "On leaving Tartary Crim."

"He's drowned! poor Corporal Tim!"
Then Molly sang a hymn.
"Now, Jim," says she,
"You'll marry me,
And bother Tartary Crim."
(_Decidedly._) "And bother Tartary Crim."

One night at home with Jim,
Appeared a figure grim.
Cries she, "'Tis T----!"
"It is," says he;
"I've come from Tartary Crim."
(_Spectrally._) "I've come from Tartary Crim."

"You didn't think," says Tim,
"That corporals could swim
But ghosts know how
To swim--I'm now--
(_Spectrally._) My ghost!--from Tartary Crim."

And then they saw that Tim
Had fins on every limb;
His feet went squish--
Cries Jim, "I wish
I was in Tartary Crim."
(_Excitedly._) "Away to Tartary Crim!"

He took a jump, did Jim,
Right on to a vessel's rim;
She made a tack,
And he never came back,
To her or Tartary Crim.
(_With certainty._) To her or Tartary Crim.

The ghost of Corporal Tim
Took Molly away with him,
And plunged in the sea,
And there they be,
Two ghosts in Tartary Crim.

MORAL (_sung by the ghost of MOLLY_).

"Oh, when you hear that Tim
Is drowned, don't marry Jim,
Or else, like me,
You'll have to be
A ghost in Tartary Crim."