Said he, "When they fired, I kivered the kid,--
Although I ain't pretty, I'm middlin' broad;
And look! he ain't fazed by arrow nor ball,--
Thank God! my own carcase stopped them all."
Then we seen his eye glaze, and his lower jaw fall,--
And he carried his thanks to God



The Pledge at Spunky Point

A Tale of Earnest Effort and Human Perfidy.


It's all very well for preaching
But preachin' and practice don't gee:
I've give the thing a fair trial,
And you can't ring it in on me.
So toddle along with your pledge, Squire,
Ef that's what you want me to sign;
Betwixt me and you, I've been thar,
And I'll not take any in mine.

A year ago last Fo'th July
A lot of the boys was here.
We all got corned and signed the pledge
For to drink no more that year.
There was Tilman Joy and Sheriff McPhail
And me and Abner Fry,
And Shelby's boy Leviticus