University of Virginia Library

THAR'S a feelin' of pleasure,
mixed in with some pain,
That over my memory scoots,
When I think of my boyhood
days once again
And my fust pair of copper
toed boots.
How our folks stood around when I fust tried
them on,
And bravely marched out on the floor,
And father remarked "thar a mighty good fit
And the best to be had at the store."

That night, I remember, I took them to bed,
With the rest of us little galoots,
And among other things in my prars which
I sed
Wuz a reference to copper toed boots.
And then in the mornin' the fust one on hand
Wuz me and my new acquisition,
And thar wuzn't a spot in the house that I
missed,
From the garret clar down to the kitchen.
Then with feelin's expandin', and huntin'
fer room,
I concluded I'd help do the chores;
Fer I felt as though somethin' wuz goin'
to bust
If I didn't git right out of doors.
But those boots they were new, and the ice
it wuz slick,
And I couldn't get one way or tother,
And I jist had to stand right there in one spot
And holler like thunder fer mother.

But trouble's a blessing sometimes in disguise
Fer I larned right thar on the spot,
That the best sort of knowledge to hav in
this world
Is that by experience taught.
So though many years have since passed
away,
And I've ventured on various routes,
I'm still tryin' things jist as risky today
As my fust pair of copper toed boots.