AUAuthor Unknown
As a street vendor in Ireland, Robert Williams mastered the fine art of bartering. WHen he came from the farm to the city, his cart was usually loaded with vegetables -- cabbages, potatoes, beets and beans. As an experienced apprentice in printing, Williams also had used books, blank record books, tracts and stationery articles, especially newspapers to sell. When interested buyers had no money, he was willing to barter. What do you have to trade?
he would ask.
One available, tradable and easy to sell item was used clothing. In London, Dublin and New York, the cry Ol' cloths! Ol' cloths was heard often in the streets of Irish and Jewish immigrants were involved in the enterprise.
The Junk Man passed the house today
And gave his call in his plaintive way,
"Ol' clothes!
Ol' clothes!
Ol' clothes!"
Any ol' clothes to throw away?
Any ol' pants or hats or skates,
Any ol' kettles or pots or pans,
Any ol' bottles or ol' tin cans,
Any ol' dresses or any ol' shoes,
Any ol' things that you can't use?
"Ol' clothes!
Ol' clothes!
Ol' clothes!"
I searched the house and made a heap
Of things that I didn't need to keep
Outworn garments and out-read books,
Clothes that had hung on rusty hooks
For the dust to grime and the moths to chew.
And thus the old made way for the new.
I thought, as the old man went his way,
How grand it would be if every day
The Junk Man passed the house to say,
"Ol' woes!
Ol' woes!
Ol' woes!"
Any ol' woes to throw away?
Any ol' grudges… any ol' hates,
Any ol' miseries or sad ol' dates,
Any ol' sorrows or any ol' pites,
Any ol' fusses or feuds or fights,
Any ol' sights or any ol' tears,
Any ol' wishing for yesteryears,
Any ol' quarrels or any ol' frets,
Any ol' tears or ol' regrets?
"Ol' woes!
Ol' woes!
Ol' woes!"