The Gay Soubrette - song lyrics 
American Old-time song lyrics from www.traditionalmusic.co.uk 
THE GAY SOUBRETTE. Copyright, 1891, by Spaulding & Gray. Words and Music by Edgar Selden. 
Oh, a nice young man, too strong to work, And a "Pa" with lots of cash, One day grew very rash, Broke out upon the "mash" With a dimpled pet he'll not forget, They began a lively dash; She was only eighteen, not a little bit green, And admired his new moustache. 
Chorus. He fell in love with a gay soubrette, oh, my, oh, She was a blonde, a bleached brunette, oh, my, oh; She was a wag and she liked a jag; She always carried her powder rag, Instead of Miss Juno her name was Mag, the gay soubrette. 
One day in May, so runs the lay, He suggested they should wed; The maiden smiled and said She had an awful dread Of the marriage state and stay-out-late, And come-rolling-home-to-bed; She was greatly amused, but she must be excused, For she hadn't lost her head. 
Chorus. He fell in love with a gay soubrette, oh, my, oh, She was a "Lulu," don't forget, oh, my, oh; For she was "fly," and she knew her "biz." He blew his coin and he bought her "fizz," But all the same, she would never be his, the gay soubrette. 
Then he took to drinking lemonade, And began to go down hill; He never had his fill. He was a walking "still," For another's sake he got the "shake," And her six month's old board bill, Now he goes around "broke" in an opera cloak And a look that's meant to kill. 
Chorus. He fell in love with a gay soubrette, oh, my, oh; Now, on the sly, she's laughing yet, oh, my, oh, "By-by, my pet, are you much in debt? Come, take a kiss, but it's all you'll get," Was what she said the last time they met, the gay soubrette. 
So now, dear boys, take my advice, And recall the "golden rule," The rule you learned at school, "Let others play the fool "; Let them buy cracked ice, it's cheap and nice, And it makes a "swelled head "cool, But the fact will remain, the next day they'll complain They're a donkey or a mule. 
Chorus. He fell in love with a gay soubrette, oh, my, oh, Now there's a four roomed flat to let, oh, my, oh; I She packed her trunk And at once set sail, The youth is "boarding" at "Bloomingdale," For that is the place where she sends his mail, the gay soubrette.