out!

A better quarter-section ner a richer soil warn't found
Than this-here old-home place o' ourn fer fifty miles
around!--
The house was small--but plenty-big we found it from
the day
That John--our only livin' son--packed up and went
away.

You see, we tuk sich pride in John--his mother more'n
me--
That's natchurul; but BOTH of us was proud as proud
could be;
Fer the boy, from a little chap, was most oncommon
bright,
And seemed in work as well as play to take the same de-
light.

He allus went a-whistlin' round the place, as glad at heart
As robins up at five o'clock to git an airly start;
And many a time 'fore daylight Mother's waked me up
to say--
"Jest listen, David!--listen!--Johnny's beat the birds
to-day!"

High-sperited from boyhood, with a most inquirin' turn,--
He wanted to learn ever'thing on earth they was to learn:
He'd ast more plaguy questions in a mortal-minute here
Than his grandpap in Paradise could answer in a year!