 | The complete poetical works of Oliver Wendell Holmes |  |
PRELUDE
[_]
[In introducing Parson Turell's Legacy, the Autocrat amused his readers with an account of his friend the Professor's experiments in chloroform. The Professor was about to read the poem, but upon the delivering the Prelude, his MS. was taken from him by the Autocrat, who finished the reading.]
The tale of the won'erful one-hoss-shay.
Wan' to hear another? Say.
—Funny, was n' it? Made me laugh,—
I'm too modest, I am, by half,—
Made me laugh 's though I sh'd split,—
Cahn' a fellah like fellah's own wit?
—Fellahs keep sayin',—“Well, now that's nice:
Did it once, but cahn' do it twice.”—
Dōn' you b'lieve the' 'z no more fat;
Lots in the kitch'n 'z good 'z that.
Fus'-rate throw, 'n' no mistake,—
Han' us the props for another shake;—
Know I'll try, 'n' guess I'll win;
Here sh' goes for hit 'm ag'in!
| The complete poetical works of Oliver Wendell Holmes | |