The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley in ten volumes |
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LITTLE COUSIN JASPER |
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 | The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley |  |
1590
LITTLE COUSIN JASPER
Little Cousin Jasper, he
Don't live in this town, like me,—
He lives 'way to Rensselaer,
An' ist comes to visit here.
Don't live in this town, like me,—
He lives 'way to Rensselaer,
An' ist comes to visit here.
He says 'at our court-house square
Ain't nigh big as theirn is there!—
He says their town's big as four
Er five towns like this, an' more!
Ain't nigh big as theirn is there!—
He says their town's big as four
Er five towns like this, an' more!
He says ef his folks moved here
He'd cry to leave Rensselaer—
'Cause they's prairies there, an' lakes,
An' wile-ducks an' rattlesnakes!
He'd cry to leave Rensselaer—
'Cause they's prairies there, an' lakes,
An' wile-ducks an' rattlesnakes!
Yes, 'n' little Jasper's Pa
Shoots most things you ever saw!—
Wunst he shot a deer, one day,
'At swummed off an' got away.
Shoots most things you ever saw!—
Wunst he shot a deer, one day,
'At swummed off an' got away.
Little Cousin Jasper went
An' camped out wunst in a tent
Wiv his Pa, an' helt his gun
While he kilt a turrapun.
An' camped out wunst in a tent
Wiv his Pa, an' helt his gun
While he kilt a turrapun.
1591
An' when his Ma heerd o' that,
An' more things his Pa's bin at,
She says, “Yes, 'n' he'll git shot
'Fore he's man-grown, like as not!”
An' more things his Pa's bin at,
She says, “Yes, 'n' he'll git shot
'Fore he's man-grown, like as not!”
An' they's mussrats there, an' minks,
An' di-dippers, an' chee-winks,—
Yes, 'n' cal'mus-root you chew
All up an' 't 'on't pizen you!
An' di-dippers, an' chee-winks,—
Yes, 'n' cal'mus-root you chew
All up an' 't 'on't pizen you!
An', in town, 's a flag-pole there—
Highest one 'at's anywhere
In this world!—wite in the street
Where the big mass-meetin's meet.
Highest one 'at's anywhere
In this world!—wite in the street
Where the big mass-meetin's meet.
Yes, 'n' Jasper he says they
Got a brass band there, an' play
On it, an' march up an' down
An' all over round the town!
Got a brass band there, an' play
On it, an' march up an' down
An' all over round the town!
Wisht our town ain't like it is!—
Wisht it's ist as big as his!
Wisht 'at his folks they'd move here,
An' we'd move to Rensselaer!
Wisht it's ist as big as his!
Wisht 'at his folks they'd move here,
An' we'd move to Rensselaer!
| The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley | |