THE

ICE

CARNIVAL

by Charles Gittman

Oh! How shall I describe the scene

In eighteen ninety five,

When our pretty River Waveney

With frolic seemed alive.

The ice a dozen inches thick,

Covered the little river,

Although the cold was so intense,

And made us

shake and quiver.

What English folk, if young or old,

When dress’d so nice and warm,

Would grumble at the piercing cold

Or mind the wind and storm?

So dozens came and hundreds too,

In charming costume clad,

Who up and down the river went,

Like raving ho

rses mad.

There was Pollie and Dollie,

And Richie and Hal,

With Gertie and Minnie

And Susan and Sal,

Charlie and Harry,

With Kitty and Jessie,

Willie and Johnny,

With Georgie and Bessie.

The King of Hearts in scarlet robe,

With Queen of Fairies flew

Along the river; then there came

The queen of diamonds too.

The gypsy Queen commanding looked;

A Colonel, too, was there;

Red Riding Hood and Powder Puff,

With a brown and shaggy bear.

With Queen of Hearts

, a huntsman bold,

Came after Little Bo Peep,

But

Little Boy Blue had gone with her,

To find the missing sheep.

A poppy was there, and close beside

Were two little girls in blue,

A shoeblack, too, and a Sailor bold,

And a fair Canadian too.

With serious air a Judge was there,

In his wig, with gravest

mien,

And a maiden fair, with lovely hair,

Who played the tambourine.

Green and Brown,

Long and Short,

Day and Night and Scarf,

Chapel and Church,

Keen and Sharp,

But Goshawk made us laugh.

As a Parish Council Chairman,

A mighty swell was he,

Side by

side with Olden Times,

A sight they were to see.

An English girl with Boatman brave,

And a Highland lass were there,

Father Christmas tearing along,

With his locks of hoary hair.

G. D. all ready for a bath,

An Irishman all alive.

A striking contrast to t

he snow,

Were merry niggers five.

A student too, in cap and gown,

With Match

-

girl glided along.

Italians in a sweet costume,

Locked full of mirth and song.

Tommy and Sally,

And Archie and Nell

,

Horace and Bertie,

And Mary a belle,

Cook came to look,

Land

came to see,

And young Mr Day

Was a Johnny Chi

-

nee.

On the river in flowing robes

Came a lady as Domino

Along with a young horse soldier,

Who’d never fear a foe.

A pretty Flower

-

girl with her flowers

Was near an Orange Seller,

Another lass in male cost

ume,

Made quite a handsome fellow.

Two merry misses in quaint Welsh dress,

Another as Moon and Stars.

A lady fair as night was there,

And some as jolly tars.

A lovely Gypsy with Gypsy Queen

Gained praise and admiration.

Now who can say our country dear

I

s a broken

-

hearted nation?

A tent upon the ice was built,

And tea and coffee sold,

The band was there, ‘twas like a fair,

A grand success I’m told.

Fine Butchers and Bakers,

Painters, Shoemakers,

Lawyers and Lawyer’s Clerks,

Grocers and Dealers,

Two or

three Peelers,

And elegant Dandies and Sparks.

With shining helmet a Fireman came,

And a Bobby bobbing around;

A few had falls, but what of that

As they rose up safe and sound!

‘Twas rush and bustle, laughter and fun,

Down the ice

-

bound stream.

Skating s

o swiftly, off like a gun,

While lovely faces beam.

Though times are bad and trade depress’d

And money always slow,

Our English hearts as corks float up,

‘Tis the better way to go.

So let not sadness steal our gladness

Let us be merry and wise.

A man is

helped who helps himself

And as a Briton tries.