Er they'll think you're deef-an'-dumb
Ef you don't hear little Billy an' his big bass drum!

* * * * *




THE NOBLE OLD ELM


O big old tree, so tall an' fine,
Where all us childern swings an' plays,
Though neighbers says you're on the line
Between Pa's house an' Mr. Gray's,--
Us childern used to almost fuss,
Old Tree, about you when we 'd play.--
We'd argy you belonged to _us_,
An' them Gray-kids the other way!

Till _Elsie_, one time _she_ wuz here
An' playin' wiv us--Don't you mind,
Old Mister Tree?--an' purty near
She scolded us the hardest kind
Fer quar'llin' 'bout you thataway,
An' say _she'll_ find--ef we'll keep still--
Whose tree you air _fer shore_, she say,
An' settle it _fer good_, she will!

* * * * *