 | Rhymes of our planet |  |
136
FOUR DOGS
The han'somest dog I ever see
(Said Brooks, with a knowing leer)
Was one the General lent to me,
An' said he was good for deer.
Now everything proceeded right,
So long as you kep' the fool in sight;
But all at once perhaps he'd see
A red-tailed squirrel agin a tree,
Or maybe a mother-bird distressed
For fear some fellow would find her nest;
An' once a rabbit family meek,
A-playin' the game of hide-an'-seek,
Or oft a wavin' bush or limb
Would seem for to make a dive at him;
Whatever would thus appear,
He'd start right in for it, crazy-quick,
The same as a two-foot lunatic;
His mind would probably lose its grip
Concernin' the object of the trip;
An' he'd come home, some time that day,
A-lookin' as if to try to say,
“You're all of ye eq'al queer!”
(Said Brooks, with a knowing leer)
Was one the General lent to me,
An' said he was good for deer.
Now everything proceeded right,
So long as you kep' the fool in sight;
But all at once perhaps he'd see
A red-tailed squirrel agin a tree,
Or maybe a mother-bird distressed
For fear some fellow would find her nest;
An' once a rabbit family meek,
A-playin' the game of hide-an'-seek,
Or oft a wavin' bush or limb
Would seem for to make a dive at him;
Whatever would thus appear,
He'd start right in for it, crazy-quick,
The same as a two-foot lunatic;
137
Concernin' the object of the trip;
An' he'd come home, some time that day,
A-lookin' as if to try to say,
“You're all of ye eq'al queer!”
The savagest dog I ever see
(Said Snooks, with a thoughtful air)
Was one the Governor lent to me,
And said he was good for bear.
An' he was an interestin' sight,
A-gettin' the other dogs to fight;
He'd boldly draw 'em up t' the game,
An' hurl anathemas on the same;
They'd follow him straight, an' own the corn,
That he was a regular leader born;
But when the bear would ope his jaws,
An' make a parenth'sis of his paws,
This dog stepped back with merciful smile,
An' let the other ones lead awhile.
But still he would skirmish near,
An' yell, blaspheme, an' tear aroun'
The outer parts of the battle-groun';
An' pass his comrades, wounded-red,
To worry the animal when 'twas dead;
Then, spick an' span as a dog could be,
He'd say with a wag and a wink at me,
“I've human natur' to spare!”
(Said Snooks, with a thoughtful air)
Was one the Governor lent to me,
And said he was good for bear.
An' he was an interestin' sight,
A-gettin' the other dogs to fight;
He'd boldly draw 'em up t' the game,
An' hurl anathemas on the same;
They'd follow him straight, an' own the corn,
That he was a regular leader born;
But when the bear would ope his jaws,
An' make a parenth'sis of his paws,
This dog stepped back with merciful smile,
An' let the other ones lead awhile.
But still he would skirmish near,
An' yell, blaspheme, an' tear aroun'
The outer parts of the battle-groun';
An' pass his comrades, wounded-red,
To worry the animal when 'twas dead;
138
He'd say with a wag and a wink at me,
“I've human natur' to spare!”
The foolest dog I ever see
(Said Crooks—same afternoon)
Was one the Coroner traded me,
An' said he was good for 'coon.
An' he was a cur of fair appear,
An' carried the blood for a fine career;
But e'en 'most every other night,
As soon as the moon would creep in sight,
He'd chase it off in elegant style,
For somethin' less than a hundred mile;
He'd keep a-goin', an' never stop,
Until he was all prepared to drop;
But if, by chance, he could stay it down,
He'd think he had run it out of town.
An' next day, not too soon,
All covered o'er with conscious shame,
Because he had failed to bag his game,
He'd sneak it home, with a lengthened jaw,
As if he had seen his mother-in-law;
Yet seemed to be sayin', I had a whim,
To them who tried for to laugh at him,
“You've all of you got your moon!”
(Said Crooks—same afternoon)
Was one the Coroner traded me,
An' said he was good for 'coon.
An' he was a cur of fair appear,
An' carried the blood for a fine career;
But e'en 'most every other night,
As soon as the moon would creep in sight,
He'd chase it off in elegant style,
For somethin' less than a hundred mile;
He'd keep a-goin', an' never stop,
Until he was all prepared to drop;
But if, by chance, he could stay it down,
He'd think he had run it out of town.
An' next day, not too soon,
All covered o'er with conscious shame,
Because he had failed to bag his game,
He'd sneak it home, with a lengthened jaw,
As if he had seen his mother-in-law;
Yet seemed to be sayin', I had a whim,
To them who tried for to laugh at him,
“You've all of you got your moon!”
139
The homeliest dog I ever see
(Said Spooks, with an air of thought)
Was one the Minister gave to me,
An' said he was good for naught.
But somehow 'r other, day by day,
He struck his gait, an' he made his way;
He jined the family, one by one,
But didn't perform as the pampered son;
He carried a cheerful tail an' face,
But wasn't desirous to embrace;
He wouldn't go sniffin' along our track,
But still, he was glad to see us back;
He helped at huntin' an' loved the fun,
But al'ays knowed who carried the gun;
He schemed an' worked an' fought
To keep the thievers from our abode,
But never would superintend the road;
He managed to be our love an' pride;
An' when that fellow fell down an' died,
He had a buryin' such as men
Gets give to 'em only now an' then;
For honesty can't be bought!
(Said Spooks, with an air of thought)
Was one the Minister gave to me,
An' said he was good for naught.
But somehow 'r other, day by day,
He struck his gait, an' he made his way;
He jined the family, one by one,
But didn't perform as the pampered son;
He carried a cheerful tail an' face,
But wasn't desirous to embrace;
He wouldn't go sniffin' along our track,
But still, he was glad to see us back;
He helped at huntin' an' loved the fun,
But al'ays knowed who carried the gun;
He schemed an' worked an' fought
To keep the thievers from our abode,
But never would superintend the road;
He managed to be our love an' pride;
An' when that fellow fell down an' died,
He had a buryin' such as men
Gets give to 'em only now an' then;
For honesty can't be bought!
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