The first beam of th’ eventful day

The first beam of th’ eventful day Found Captain up betimes: His wife persuaded him to pray, If ’twere but twenty lines: And so he did (both kneeling down); But quickly after this, Joe, like a boy, was up and gone Upon the road to bliss. * * * Away they went—for she went too, To see him safely off; And whilst she’s on the platform—lo! The engine ’gins to cough, And cough, and cough; and Joe, to see His dear, popp’d out his head— Ejaculating, “God bless thee,” When (what?) his hat had fled! Of course, Joe bawl’d to get it back, The more he bawl’d he might— For ’twixt the wheels it got a crack, Which smash’d it left and right: His dear wife saw! and cried in vain, “D’ye see the mischief done?” But onward steam’d the “Wicked Train,” And he, dear fellow, gone!