From the sheet music at Baylor University:


“Vesta Victoria’s New Song Successes,
as Featured by the Famous English Comedienne on Her American Tour”
HE CALLS ME HIS OWN GRACE DARLING
Words and music by Lawrence Barclay, ©1899.*
Published by Francis, Day & Hunter, New York & London.

1. I feel just as happy as a girl can be; upon my word, it’s true.
I’m so very happy that I don’t know which or what I’m going to do.
I’m in love and just engaged to a man who ploughs the sea.
He fishes for a living, but he fished last week on land, and he caught me.

CHORUS: And he calls me his own Grace Darling; he says that I’m his pet.
I fill each plaice within his sole; that ain’t no cod, you bet!
When he asked me if I loved him, I said, “What o! not ’alf!
Why, I likes you just for your whiskers, ’cos they tickles me and makes me laugh!”

2. Jim’s got a face you wouldn’t like at first; it grows on you, you see.
Like olives, it’s acquired, but I’m very glad it didn’t grow on me.
He says I’m an angel, yes, an angel without wings.
He’s not very pretty, but upon my word, he does say some nice things!

3. When in the evening on the beach we spoon, I feel so very shy.
He’ll look me straight in the eyeball, then he’ll give a great big sigh.
We’ll be married in a month or so; he won’t forget, won’t Jim!
When the parson says, “Will you wed this man?” I’ll say “Can a duck swim?”

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* The sheet music says: “Copyright MCCCXCIX” but wouldn’t that be 1399? Surely they meant MDCCCXCIX, which would be 1899.