FullReads

And my thoughts was as rebellious as the folks was good and kind
When Brown and Mary married–Railly must a-been my mind
Was kindo’ out o’ kilter!–fer I hated Brown, you see,
Worse’n pizen–and the feller whittled crutches out fer me—

And done a thousand little ac’s o’ kindness and respect–
And me a-wishin’ all the time that I could break his neck!
My relief was like a mourner’s when the funeral is done
When they moved to Illinois in the Fall o’ Forty-one.

Then I went to work in airnest–I had nothin’ much in view
But to drown’d out rickollections–and it kep’ me busy, too!
But I slowly thrived and prospered, tel Mother used to say
She expected yit to see me a wealthy man some day.

Then I’d think how little money was, compared to happiness–
And who’d be left to use it when I died I couldn’t guess!
But I’ve still kep’ speculatin’ and a-gainin’ year by year,
Tel I’m pay-in’ half the taxes in the county, mighty near!

Well!–A year ago er better, a letter comes to hand
Astin’ how I’d like to dicker fer some Illinois land–
“The feller that had owned it,” it went ahead to state,
“Had jest deceased, insolvent, leavin’ chance to speculate,”–

And then it closed by sayin’ that I’d “better come and see.”–
I’d never been West, anyhow–a most too wild fer me
I’d allus had a notion; but a lawyer here in town
Said I’d find myself mistakened when I come to look around.

So I bids good-bye to Mother, and I jumps aboard the train,
A-thinkin’ what I’d bring her when I come back home again–
And ef she’d had an idy what the present was to be,
I think it’s more’n likely she’d a-went along with me!

Cars is awful tejus ridin’, fer all they go so fast!
But finally they called out my stoppin’-place at last;
And that night, at the tavern, I dreamp’ I was a train
O’ cars, and skeered at sompin’, runnin’ down a country lane!

Well, in the mornin’ airly–after huntin’ up the man–
The lawyer who was wantin’ to swap the piece o’ land–
We started fer the country; and I ast the history
Of the farm–its former owner–and so-forth, etcetery!

And–well–it was interestin’–I su-prised him, I suppose,
By the loud and frequent manner in which I blowed my nose!–
But his su-prise was greater, and it made him wonder more,
When I kissed and hugged the widder when she met us at the door!–

It was Mary: They’s a feelin’ a-hidin’ down in here–
Of course I can’t explain it, ner ever make it clear.–
It was with us in that meetin’, I don’t want you to fergit!
And it makes me kind o’ nervous when I think about it yit!

I bought that farm, and deeded it, afore I left the town,
With “title clear to mansions in the skies,” to Mary Brown!
And fu’thermore, I took her and the childern–fer, you see,
They’d never seed their Grandma–and I fetched ’em home with me.

So now you’ve got an idy why a man o’ fifty-four,
Who’s lived a cross old bachelor fer thirty year’ and more,
Is a-lookin’ glad and smilin’!–And I’ve jest come into town
To git a pair o’ license fer to marry Mary Brown.