The Famous Mulligan Ball

"THE FAMOUS MULLIGAN BALL

BY FRANK L. STANTON


    Did ever you hear of the Mulligan ball--the Mulligan ball so fine,
    Where we formed in ranks, and danced on planks, and swung 'em along
        the line?
    Where the first Four Hundred of the town moved at the music's call?
    There was never a ball in the world at all--like the famous Mulligan
        ball!

    Town was a bit of a village then, and never a house or shed
    From street to street and beat to beat was higher than Mulligan's
        head!
    And never a theater troup came round to 'liven us, spring or fall,
    And so Mulligan's wife she says, says she: "Plaze God, I'll give a
        ball!"

    And she did--God rest her, and save her, too! (I'm liftin' to her
        my hat!)
    And never a ball at all, at all, was half as fine as that!
    Never no invitations sent--nothin' like that at all;
    But the whole Four Hundred combed their hair and went to the Mulligan
        ball.

    And "Take yer places!" says Mulligan, "an' dance till you shake the
        wall!"
    And I led Mrs. Mulligan off as the lady that gave the ball;
    And we whirled around till we shook the ground, with never a stop at
        all;
    And I kicked the heels from my boots--please God--at the famous
        Mulligan ball.

    Mulligan jumped till he hit the roof, and the head of him went clean
        through it!
    The shingles fell on the floor pell-mell! Says Mulligan: "Faith, I
        knew it!"
    But we kept right on when the roof was gone, with never a break at
        all;
    We danced away till the break o' day at the famous Mulligan ball.

    But the best of things must pass away like the flowers that fade and
        fall,
    And it's fifty years, as the records say, since we danced at
        Mulligan's ball;
    And the new Four Hundred never dance like the Mulligans danced--at
        all,
    And I'm longing still, though my hair is gray, for a ball like
        Mulligan's ball!

    And I drift in dreams to the old-time town, and I hear the fiddle
        sing;
    And Mulligan sashays up and down till the rafters rock and ring!
    Suppose, if I had a woman's eye, maybe a tear would fall
    For the old-time fellows who took the prize at the famous Mulligan
        ball."