Riley Farm-Rhymes

comes on,--
And THEN, I want to say to you, we NEEDED he'p about,
As you'd admit, ef you'd a-seen the way the crops turned

out!

A better quarter-section ner a richer soil warn't found
Than this-here old-home place o' ourn fer fifty miles

around!--
The house was small--but plenty-big we found it from

the day
That John--our only livin' son--packed up and went

away.

You see, we tuk sich pride in John--his mother more'n

me--
That's natchurul; but BOTH of us was proud as proud

could be;
Fer the boy, from a little chap, was most oncommon

bright,
And seemed in work as well as play to take the same delight.

He allus went a-whistlin' round the place, as glad at heart As robins up at five o'clock to git an airly start;
And many a time 'fore daylight Mother's waked me up

to say--
"Jest listen, David!--listen!--Johnny's beat the birds

to-day!"

High-