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Parent Category: Music

Category: Victor Best

Victor Best was born on December 12, 1910, the son of Albert and Winifred Best.  Many of us still remember his brothers Billy, Mac, Clev, Fred and Tom.  When not fishing, Vic could be found out in the hay meadow or heading over to the well at the bottom of Connors Heights with his two galvanized buckets.  Whenever you saw Vic, he was always singing some old tune like Black-Eyed Susan and was always a popular singer at a time.

The song "Aunt Margaret's Dick" involves real characters from Little Harbour, between Hay Cove and Harbour Buffett on Long Island.  Christopher Dicks was a small man, referred to as "little Chrissy" who was married to Mary Ann Manning, originally from Burin, and had three sons: John Chesley, Charles and Cecil.  Victor Butler refers to them on page 37 of "Buffett Before Nightfall".

 Vic singing Aunt Margaret's Dick

Aunt Margaret’s Dick

Chrissy went out to Aunt Margaret’s for to get a loan of her dick,
Said Mary Ann to Christopher “You got to do it quick.”
Said Mary Ann to Christopher “Be sure and don’t you stop,
For you got of plenty of bait today, you got to bait your pots."

And Chrissy went up to Aunt Margaret‘s, and he brought the dick down home
Said Mary Ann to Christopher “He got a lovely comb.”
Said Mary Ann to Christopher “He got the cutest head;
Go in the house John Chesley, bring out a slice of bread.”

Oh, his hens and ducks they were all in, and feeding for the night.
And Chrissy woke in the morning, O the dick he wasn’t in sight.
And Christopher jumping out of bed, he jumped on Mary Ann’s toe.
Said Mary Ann to Christopher  “I thought I heard him crow."

Oh, Chrissy jumped out of his britches and he stumbled through the door.
Said Mary Ann to Christopher "The dick is gone for sure.“
“Put on your clothes," said Mary Ann. “and look for him you'll get,
For you gets nothing to eat today until you brings him in.”

Oh, Chrissy went up to Aunt Margaret’s and the dick he was not there.
He got so weak and frightened and he fell down in the chair.
He started off for Hay Cove then, not feeling quite so stout.
He fell down in a mud hole and got mud up in his mouth.

Now he started off for Hay Cove, the dick all for to find.
And when he got about halfway down he heard him crow behind,
And turning around and there he was, not feeling quite so warm,
He chuckled him and cuckled him, and got him under his arm.

Oh, said Mary Ann to Christopher “I’m glad he did come back,
For if we’d lose Aunt Margaret‘s dick, we’d have to pay a whack.
I’m going to set a hen myself, and rear some little chicks,
For I won’t have to bother Aunt Margaret for her dick.”