Grandpa Pencil's Australian colonial verse and song Ticket-of-Leave Holder

From the Sydney Gazette, 14 July 1832

The Currency Lads may fill their glasses, And drink to the health of the Currency Lasses; But the lass I adore, the lass for me, Is a lass in the female factory. O! Molly's her name, and her name is Molly, Although she was tried in the name of Polly; She was tried and was cast for death at Newry, But the judge was bribed and so was the jury. She got 'Death Recorded' in Newry town, For stealing her mistress' watch and gown; Her little boy Paddy can tell you the tale, Her father was turnkey at Newry jail. The first time I saw the comely lass Was at Parramatta, going to mass; Says I, 'I'll marry you now in an hour'. Says she, 'Well, go and fetch Father Power'. But I got into trouble that very same night! Being drunk in the street I got into a fight, A constable seized me - I gave him a box - And was put in the watch house and then in the stocks. O! it's very unaisy as I may remember, o sit in the stocks in the month of December; With the north wind so hot, and the hot sun right over, O! sure, and it's no place at all for a lover!

'It's worse than the treadmill', says I, 'Mr. Dunn,' To sit here all day in the hate of the sun!' 'Either tat or a dollar,' says he, 'for your folly.' - But if I had a dollar I'd drink it with Molly. But now I am out again, early and late I sigh and I cry at the factory gate, 'O! Mrs. R___, late Mrs. F___n, O! won't you let Molly out very soon ?' 'Is it Molly McGuigan ?' says she to me, 'Is it not ?' says I, for she knowed it was she. 'Is it her you mean that was put in the stocks For beating her mistress, Mrs. Cox ? ''O! yes and it is, madam, pray let me in, I have brought he a half pint of Cooper's best gin, She likes it as well as she likes her own mother, O! now let me in, madam, I am her brother. So the Currency Lads may fill their glasses, And drink to the health of the Currency Lasses; But the lass I adore, the lass for me, Is a lass in the Female Factory.

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