 | Songs of two centuries |  |
88
IN THE MOUNTAINS, YOU KNOW.
Yes, old fellow, I went to the mountains, you know,
Where the hyacinths bloom and the daffodils blow;
For my sister was there with her bevy of seven;
They are all of them angels, but still out of heaven.
'Twas “Oh, Uncle, you've come!” and with love-seasoned pats,
Like a frolicsome parcel of juvenile cats,
They hung to me, clung to me, wouldn't let me go,
On the first day I got to the mountains, you know.
Where the hyacinths bloom and the daffodils blow;
For my sister was there with her bevy of seven;
They are all of them angels, but still out of heaven.
'Twas “Oh, Uncle, you've come!” and with love-seasoned pats,
Like a frolicsome parcel of juvenile cats,
They hung to me, clung to me, wouldn't let me go,
On the first day I got to the mountains, you know.
Then a walk through the meadows suggested to me
An escape from the noise, and a think, don't you see;
So I roamed in the sweet-smelling grasses afar,
And I borrowed a match and I lit a cigar;
Then I saw through the fence, lying prone and asleep,
A peculiar mild-countenanced horn-handled sheep;
So I climbed to his side and I kindly bent low,
And awoke him to see what he'd do, don't you know.
An escape from the noise, and a think, don't you see;
So I roamed in the sweet-smelling grasses afar,
And I borrowed a match and I lit a cigar;
Then I saw through the fence, lying prone and asleep,
A peculiar mild-countenanced horn-handled sheep;
So I climbed to his side and I kindly bent low,
And awoke him to see what he'd do, don't you know.
And I saw, very soon; for he rose to his feet,
And commenced a peculiar and guarded retreat;
Retreated—ah—backward—face toward me, I mean,
Just the same as folks do from a king or a queen;
And I pitied him much for the fear he displayed,
And I said, “My dear chappie, now don't be afraid!”
And I judge he was not: for, dispenser of woe,
He came at me as if from a gun, don't you know!
And commenced a peculiar and guarded retreat;
Retreated—ah—backward—face toward me, I mean,
Just the same as folks do from a king or a queen;
And I pitied him much for the fear he displayed,
And I said, “My dear chappie, now don't be afraid!”
And I judge he was not: for, dispenser of woe,
He came at me as if from a gun, don't you know!
And I skipped like a deer, or a yacht in a breeze,
In a way that distended my pants at the knees;
And, to uttermost speed by the animal pressed,
I relinquished my coat and my necktie and vest;
And I went round the field, trying hard for first place,
Like a sprinter that's trying to capture a race;
And, “We'll bet on you, Uncle!” was screeched to and fro;
For the children had climbed on the fence, don't you know.
In a way that distended my pants at the knees;
And, to uttermost speed by the animal pressed,
I relinquished my coat and my necktie and vest;
89
Like a sprinter that's trying to capture a race;
And, “We'll bet on you, Uncle!” was screeched to and fro;
For the children had climbed on the fence, don't you know.
As was afterwards said, 'twas quite touching to see
That undignified creature's attachment for me;
And wherever my footsteps would go, don't you mind,
The diminutive monster was not far behind!
And he seemed to have picked up a notion, indeed,
That his mission on earth was to further my speed;
And I think that we furnished a capital show
To the people that happened to pass, don't you know!
That undignified creature's attachment for me;
And wherever my footsteps would go, don't you mind,
The diminutive monster was not far behind!
And he seemed to have picked up a notion, indeed,
That his mission on earth was to further my speed;
And I think that we furnished a capital show
To the people that happened to pass, don't you know!
Then a handsome young lady stepped over the stile,
With a blessed tin dipper of salt, and a smile;
And she said, “Come, Dick, dear!” (that's the name that I keep,
But I'm glad that 'twas also the name of the sheep;
For he went to the maid to be fed and caressed,
While I walked down the road for a while and redressed);
And I've made up my mind that if she'll see it so,
I will marry that girl in the fall, don't you know!
With a blessed tin dipper of salt, and a smile;
And she said, “Come, Dick, dear!” (that's the name that I keep,
But I'm glad that 'twas also the name of the sheep;
For he went to the maid to be fed and caressed,
While I walked down the road for a while and redressed);
And I've made up my mind that if she'll see it so,
I will marry that girl in the fall, don't you know!
| Songs of two centuries | |