LONDON, May 11 -- "A child's continual sensual pleasure of sucking a comforter often provides the first downward step in the career of a drunkard," declared Dr Potts, a Birmingham psychologist, addressing the Parents' Educational Conference.
"It's the dummy wot done it," said Bleary Bill.
"As a child I was out o' luck.
A kid in me pram, that's wot I am
When they gimme the thing to suck.
An' I took to it good, for I like the taste;
With never a thought of a life laid waste.
Then I took to nippin' upon the sly,
Or avin' a suck with a friend,
Tho' a neighbourin' kid warned me, 'e did,
It would get me, sure, in the end.
An' git me it did, as you see today.
In a most insidius an' 'orrible way.
I know as me 'abits is not the best.
An' I know as the beer's a curse;
But don't blame me, for me choice weren't free,
An' the blame of it's all on nurse.
So, please, yer Honor, don't make it 'ot,
An' I'll swear off dummies right on the spot."
First published in The Sun-News Pictorial, 13 May 1927
Author reference sites: C.J. Dennis, Austlit, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian Poetry Library
See also.
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