Burglar Bold
Lester Leppert retold this lyric in “Memories”, an oral history published by the Dublin Historical Society”. It is from a medicine show that was an annual event, something like a summer carnival. Lester remembers watching and listening to a barker—a man advertising a show—plinking on a banjo and singing this lyric. He memorized the bawdy lyric and we knew we had to record it for posterity!

Medicine Shows
Medicine shows would go from town to town selling their “cure-all” medicine. It was supposed to be an old Indian remedy that would cure any and all ailments. This show was held in Tuller’s lot located between the cemetery on the West, Carl Karrer’s farm on the South, the alley on the East, and the Parsonage on the North (now part of Franklin Street). The show consisted of songs, dances, skits, and joke telling by members of the troupe. It would start with some entertainment then the barker would go into his sales pitch, telling how the medicine would cure anything and everything that ailed you. When the sales slowed they would perform again, etc. To create added interest they held a contest to see who was the most popular little girl in Dublin. The contestants were Madge Smith and Polly Tuller, the prize was a diamond ring. Each bottle purchased was worth a certain number of points that the purchaser could give to the contestant of his choice. Madge said she lost. 

(Lester Leppert, “Memories”)

Lester Leppert memorized this song from one of the medicine show entertainers:
“Burglar Bold”, the lyrics of a medicine show barker sung while he plunked away on a banjo. 

I’ll sing you a song of a burglar bold
Who went to rob a house.
He crept right in the window just as quiet as a mouse
Then under the bed the burglar crept
And lay there close to the wall.
He didn’t know it was an old maid’s room
Or he wouldn’t have had the gall.
At nine o’clock the old maid came in
I am so tired said she.
She took out her teeth and big glass eye
And the hair from the top of her head.
While the burglar had seventeen kinds of fits
As he peered from under the bed.
From under the bed the burglar crept
And looked a total wreck.
The old maid was onto him and
Grabbed him by the neck.
She didn’t scream or holler at all
But stood there meek as a lamb and said,
“My prayers have been answered now
And at last I’ve found a man”.
Then the old maid a revolver took
And unto the burglar said,
“If you don’t marry me young man
I’ll blow off the top of your head”.
The burglar looked for a place to escape
But found not where to scoot.
He looked at her teeth and big glass eye
And said, “For God’s sake shoot”.

Every summer a group of people would come to Dublin, pitch a tent in this field and put on a medicine show. The show was free and every night after supper everyone in Dublin would take a chair and head for the pasture field. The medicine, which consisted mostly of alcohol, cost $1.00 a bottle. When it was all sold the show would leave town.  (Aly E. [Polly] Richards, “Memories”) 

(The fellow with the show) he had the stuff in the bottles that he tried to sell.  I don’t know who bought it or anything.  (The shows) would have an entertainment and sing the songs. (Ruth Moffit, from transcript of interview for “Reflections” videotape)

They would sell remedies that would cure everything. Then they would have skits, too. (Lester Leppert)