The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley in ten volumes |
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JOHN ALDEN AND PERCILLY |
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 | The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley |  |
1573
JOHN ALDEN AND PERCILLY
We got up a Christmas-doin's
Last Christmas Eve—
Kind o' dimonstration
'At I railly believe
Give more satisfaction—
Take it up and down—
Than airy intertainment
Ever come to town!
Last Christmas Eve—
Kind o' dimonstration
'At I railly believe
Give more satisfaction—
Take it up and down—
Than airy intertainment
Ever come to town!
Railly was a theater—
That's what it was,—
But, bein' in the church, you know,
We had a “Santy Claus”—
So's to git the old folks
To patternize, you see,
And back the institootion up
Kind o' morally.
That's what it was,—
But, bein' in the church, you know,
We had a “Santy Claus”—
So's to git the old folks
To patternize, you see,
And back the institootion up
Kind o' morally.
School-teacher writ the thing—
(Was a friend o' mine)
Got it out o' Longfeller's
Pome “Evangeline”—
Er somers—'bout the Purituns.—
Anyway, the part
“John Alden” fell to me—
And learnt it all by heart!
(Was a friend o' mine)
Got it out o' Longfeller's
Pome “Evangeline”—
1574
Anyway, the part
“John Alden” fell to me—
And learnt it all by heart!
Claircy was “Percilly”—
(School-teacher 'lowed
Me and her could act them two
Best of all the crowd)—
Then—blame' ef he didn't
Git her Pap, i jing!—
To take the part o' “Santy Claus,”
To wind up the thing.
(School-teacher 'lowed
Me and her could act them two
Best of all the crowd)—
Then—blame' ef he didn't
Git her Pap, i jing!—
To take the part o' “Santy Claus,”
To wind up the thing.
Law! the fun o' practisun!—
Was a week er two
Me and Claircy didn't have
Nothin' else to do!—
Kep' us jes' a-meetin' round,
Kind o' here and there,
Ever' night rehearsin'-like,
And gaddin' ever'where!
Was a week er two
Me and Claircy didn't have
Nothin' else to do!—
Kep' us jes' a-meetin' round,
Kind o' here and there,
Ever' night rehearsin'-like,
And gaddin' ever'where!
Game was wo'th the candle, though!—
Christmas Eve at last
Rolled around.—And 'tendance jes'
Couldn't been su'passed!—
Neighbers from the country
Come from Clay and Rush—
Yes, and 'crost the county-line
Clean from Puckerbrush!
Christmas Eve at last
Rolled around.—And 'tendance jes'
Couldn't been su'passed!—
Neighbers from the country
Come from Clay and Rush—
Yes, and 'crost the county-line
Clean from Puckerbrush!
1575
Meetin'-house jes' trimbled
As “Old Santy” went
Round amongst the childern,
With their pepperment
And sassafrac and wintergreen
Candy, and “a ball
O' pop-corn,” the preacher 'nounced,
“Free fer each and all!”
As “Old Santy” went
Round amongst the childern,
With their pepperment
And sassafrac and wintergreen
Candy, and “a ball
O' pop-corn,” the preacher 'nounced,
“Free fer each and all!”
School-teacher suddently
Whispered in my ear,—
“Guess I got you:—Christmas-gift!—
Christmas is here!”
I give him a gold pen,
And case to hold the thing.—
And Claircy whispered, “Christmas-gift!”
And I give her a ring.
Whispered in my ear,—
“Guess I got you:—Christmas-gift!—
Christmas is here!”
I give him a gold pen,
And case to hold the thing.—
And Claircy whispered, “Christmas-gift!”
And I give her a ring.
“And now,” says I, “jes' watch me—
Christmas-gift,” says I,
“I'm a-goin' to git one—
‘Santy's’ comin' by!”—
Then I rech' and grabbed him:
And, as you'll infer,
'Course I got the old man's,
And he gimme her!
Christmas-gift,” says I,
“I'm a-goin' to git one—
‘Santy's’ comin' by!”—
Then I rech' and grabbed him:
And, as you'll infer,
'Course I got the old man's,
And he gimme her!
| The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley | |