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Wunst I sassed my Pa, an’ he
Won’t stand that, an’ punished me,–
Nen when he was gone that day,
I slipped out an’ runned away.

I tooked all my copper-cents,
An’ clumbed over our back fence
In the jimpson-weeds ‘at growed
Ever’where all down the road.

Nen I got out there, an’ nen
I runned some–an’ runned again
When I met a man ‘at led
A big cow ‘at shooked her head.

I went down a long, long lane
Where was little pigs a-play’n’;
An’ a grea’-big pig went “Booh!”
An’ jumped up, an’ skeered me too.

Nen I scampered past, an’ they
Was somebody hollered “Hey!”
An’ I ist looked ever’where,
An’ they was nobody there.

I Want to, but I’m ‘fraid to try
To go back…. An’ by-an’-by
Somepin’ hurts my throat inside–
An’ I want my Ma–an’ cried.

Nen a grea’-big girl come through
Where’s a gate, an’ telled me who
Am I? an’ ef I tell where
My home’s at she’ll show me there.

But I couldn’t ist but tell
What’s my name; an’ she says well,
An’ she tooked me up an’ says
She know where I live, she guess.

Nen she telled me hug wite close
Round her neck!–an’ off she goes
Skippin’ up the street! An’ nen
Purty soon I’m home again.

An’ my Ma, when she kissed me,
Kissed the big girl too, an’ she
Kissed me–ef I p’omise shore
I won’t run away no more!