American Old Time Song Lyrics: 29 Liberty Enlightens The World

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 29

Liberty Enlightens the World.
By Fred Emerson Brooks.
FOREIGN VIEWS OF THE STATUS.

On the deck of a steamer that came up the bay
Some garrulous foreigners gathered one day
To vent their opinions on matters and things
On this side the Atlantic,
In language pedantic;
'Twas much the same gathering as any ship brings.

"Ah, look! "said the Frenchman, with pride his lip curled;
"See ze Liberie Statue enlighten ze world.
Zee grandest colossal zat evair was known!
Thus Bartholdi he speak:
Vive la France-Amerique!
Barthodi make ze statue and God make ze stone!"

Said the Scotchman: "Na need o' yes spakin' sa frae,
The thing's na so sma ", sir, that we canna' see.
Dae ye think that withoot ye the folk couldna' tell?
Sin' 'tis Liberty's Statye,
I kenna' why that ye
Didna' keep it at name to enlighten yersel'!"

The Englishman gazed through his watch-crystal eye:
"'Pou 'onor, by Jove, It is too beastly 'igh!
A monstwosity, weally too lawge to be seen!
In pwoportion, I say.
It's too lawge faw the Bay.
So much lawger than one w've at 'ome of the Queen."

An Italian next joined the colloquial scrimmage:
"I dress-a my monkey just like-a de image,
I call-a Bartholdi' Frennchman got-a spunky­Call-a me ' Macaroni,"
Lose-a me plendy moany,
he break-a my organ and keel-a my monkey!"

"Mine-a broder. a feeshernian, hear-a what he say:
No more-a he catch-a de feesh in de bay;
He drop-a de seine-he no get-a de weesh-
When he niake-a de grab-a,
Only catch-a de crab-a;
De big-a French image scare away all de feesh!"

"By the Home Rule! "said Pat; " and is that Libertee?
She's the biggest ould woman that ever I see!
Phy don't she sit down? lis a shame she's to stand;
But the truth is, O'im towld.
That the sthone is too cowld!
Would ye moind the shillelagh she howlds in her hand!"

Said the Cornishman: "Thaat's noa shillelagh,' ye scaamp!
Looks to Oi like Diogenes 'ere wl' 'is laamp,
Scarchin' 'aard for a onest maan! "Faith, that is true,"
Muttered Pat, "Pat ye say,
For he's lookin' moi way,
And by the same favor don't recognize you!"