"Her Name Was Isabella" (1864)
Words and Music by H. Clifton
from "Buckley's Comic Songs
as sung by R. Bishop Buckley
of Buckley's Serenaders"
No. 1 of 4

[Source: 024/037@Levy]

1.
When you hear my ditty my [worm?] you will pity,
  I'm engaged in the City from ten till three;
But I've been betray'd by a fascinating maid,
  Who was Captain of a bonnet shop in town, you see.
Her eyes were as black as the seeds of a pear,
  No rose in the garden with her cheeks could compare;
She'd a gingham umbrella, her name was Isabella
  And her father kept a barber's shop in East Boston.

2.
On a Monday afternoon in the latter part of June,
  From Rozbury I started for a pleasant ride, you see,
And as I drew near the East Boston pier,
  A lovely lady I chanced to see.
In her hands a nosegay, 'twas a budle of stocks,
  A brown paper parcel, and a blue bonnet box,
A gingham umbrella her name was Isabella,
  And her father kept a barber's shop at East Boston.

3.
I rush'd to the gangway and proffer'd my assistance,
  Oh the smile that she gave me as I handed her a seat,
I sat down beside she offer'd no resistance
  We talk'd of the weather the rain and the heat.
I asked her her parents I asked her their trade,
  I asked her, her name, with a look half afraid
She rais'd her umbrella said "my name is Isabella,
  And my father keeps a barber's shop at East Boston."

4.
Before we parted she'd all my affection,
  I enquired, "Should I see her at some future day?"
She simpered, and smiled, and said, "She'd no objection"
  As light as a fairy she tripped it away.
So we were engaged in a regular way,
  My time passed as happy as the flowers in May,
When I thought of Isabella, and her gingham umbrella
  And her father's little barber shop in East Boston.

5.
I took her to the Burkley's, with a ticket of admission,
  I took her to the Copelands, for ice-creams not a few,
We went to Music Hall organ Exhibition,
  And out to the Cattle-Fair, at Brighton, too.
Oh! the presents I made, and the letters I wrote
  From the first time I met her on the East Boston boat,
My darling Isabella, and her gingham umbrella,
  Whose father keeps a barber's shop in East Boston.

6.
When you hear the sequel you'll say it has no equal
  In all the annals of woman's deceit;
I went one night to meet my Isabel,
  But no Isabel was there to meet,
I searched the South End till I happened to drop
  In at Union Hall at a "five dollar hop"
And there found Isabella, with a lemon-whiskered feller
  Dancing "double-shuffles" like all East Boston!

7.
I started with suprise, then exclaimed "Isabella!"
  "Do you take me for a flat? Do I look like a fool?"
She cooly replied, "Yes, I rather think I do,"
  "But don't get excited, you best keep cool,"
I rushed at my rival, satisfaction to get,
  But found that my troubles had not ended yet,
For up jumped Isabella, with her gingham umbrella,
  And knocked my bran new "stove-pipe" to East Boston.

8.
I rushed from the sight of the faithless spinster
  In the Charles River water repose to find
But before I reached the foot of the Common
  My opinions altered, and I changed my mind.
Our folly must be paid for and wisdom bought;
  There are fishes in the sea, goos as ever were caught.
So "good-bye" to Isabella, and her broken umbrella,
  And her father's one-horse barber's shop in East Boston.