Standard Selections Part 44

ALMOST BEYOND ENDURANCE[63]

JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

I ain't a-goin' to cry no more, no more!

I'm got ear-ache, an' ma can't make It quit a-tall; An' Carlo bite my rubber-ball An' puncture it; an' Sis she take An' poke my knife down through the stable-floor An' loozed it--blame it all!

But I ain't goin' to cry no more, no more!

An' Aunt Mame wrote she's a-comin', an' she can't-- Folks is come there!--An' I don't care, She is my Aunt!

An' my eyes stings; an' I'm Ist coughin' all the time, An' hurts me so, an' where my side's so sore Granpa felt where, an' he Says "maybe it's pleurasy!"

But I ain't goin' to cry no more, no more!

An' I climbed up an' nen falled off the fence, An' Herbert he ist laugh at me!

An' my fi'-cents It sticked in my tin bank, an' I ist tore Purt' nigh my thumbnail off, a-tryin' to git It out--nen smash it!--An it's in there yit!

But I ain't goin' to cry no more, no more!

Oo! I'm so wickud!--An' my breath's so hot-- Ist like I run an' don't rest none But ist run on when I ought to not; Yes, an' my chin An' lip's all warpy, an' my teeth's so fast, An' 's a place in my throat I can't swaller past-- An' they all hurt so!-- An' oh, my--oh!

I'm a-startin' a'gin-- I'm a-startin ag'in, but I won't, fer sh.o.r.e!-- I ist ain't goin' to cry no more, no more!

FOOTNOTE:

[63] Used by special permission of the publishers, the Bobbs-Merrill Company. From "His Pa's Romance," copyright, 1903.

BREAKING THE CHARM[64]

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

Caught Susanner whistlin'; well, It's most nigh too good to tell.

'Twould 'a' b'en too good to see Ef it hadn't b'en fur me, Comin' up so soft an' sly That she didn' hear me nigh.

I was pokin' round that day, An' ez I come down the way, First her whistle strikes my ears,-- Then her gingham dress appears; So with soft step up I slips.

Oh, them dewy, rosy lips!

Ripe ez cherries, red an' round, Puckered up to make the sound.

She was lookin' in the spring, Whistlin' to beat anything,-- "Kitty Dale" er "In the sweet."

I was just so mortal beat That I can't quite ricoleck What the toon was, but I 'speck 'Twas some hymn er other, fur Hymny things is jest like her.

Well she went on fur awhile With her face all in a smile, An' I never moved, but stood Stiller'n a piece o' wood-- Wouldn't wink ner wouldn't stir, But a-gazin' right at her, Tell she turns an' sees me--my!

Thought at first she'd try to fly.

But she blushed an' stood her ground.

Then, a-slyly lookin' round, She says: "Did you hear me, Ben?"

"Whistlin' woman, crowin' hen,"

Says I, lookin' awful stern.

Then the red commenced to burn In them cheeks o' hern. Why, la!

Reddest red you ever saw-- Pineys wa'n't a circ.u.mstance.

You'd a' noticed in a glance She was pow'rful shamed an' skeart; But she looked so sweet an' peart, That a idee struck my head; So I up an' slowly said: "Woman whistlin' brings sh.o.r.e harm, Jest one thing'll break the charm."

"And what's that?" "Oh, my!" says I, "I don't like to tell you." "Why?"

Says Susanner. "Well, you see It would kinder fall on me."

Course I knowed that she'd insist,-- So I says: "You must be kissed By the man that heard you whistle; Everybody says that this'll Break the charm and set you free From the threat'nin' penalty."

She was blus.h.i.+n' fit to kill, But she answered, kinder still: "I don't want to have no harm, Please come, Ben, an' break the charm."

Did I break that charm?--oh, well, There's some things I mustn't tell.

I remember, afterwhile, Her a-sayin' with a smile: "Oh, you quit,--you sa.s.sy dunce, You jest caught me whistlin' once."

FOOTNOTE:

[64] By permission of Dodd, Mead & Co.

CANDLE-LIGHTIN' TIME[65]

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

When I come in f'om de co'n-fiel' aftah wukin' ha'd all day, It's amazin' nice to fin' my suppah all erpon de way; An' it's nice to smell de coffee bubblin' ovah in de pot, An' it's fine to see de meat a-sizzlin' teasin'-lak an' hot.

But when suppah time is ovah an' de things is cl'ared away, Den de happy hours dat foller are de sweetes' ob de day.

When my co'n-cob pipe is sta'ted, an' de smoke is drawin' prime, My ole 'ooman says, "I reckon, Ike, it's candle-lightin' time."

Den de chillun snuggle up to me and all commence to call, "Oh, say, daddy, now it's time to make de shadders on de wall."

So I puts my han's togethah--evah daddy knows de way-- An' de chillun snuggle closer roun' es I begin to say,

"Fus thing, hyeah come mistah Rabbit, don' you see him wuk his eahs?

Huh uh! dis mus' be a donky; look how innercent he 'pears!

Dah's de ole black swan a-swimmin', ain't she got a' awfu' neck?

Who's dis feller dat's a-comin'? why, dat's ole dog Tray I 'spec!"

Dat's de way I run on, tryin' fer to please 'em all I can; Den I hollahs, "Now be keerful, dis hyeah las' 's de buga-man!"

An' dey runs an' hides dey faces; dey ain't skeered--dey's lettin'

on, But de play ain't raaly ovah twell dat buga-man is gone.

So I jes' takes up my banjo an' I plays a little chune, An' you see dem hai'ds come peepin' out to listen mighty soon.

Den my wife say, "Sich a pappy fer to give you sich a fright!

Jes' you go to bed, an' leave him, say yo' prayers, an' say good night."

FOOTNOTE:

[65] By permission of Dodd, Mead & Co., publishers. From "Lyrics of Lowly Life," 1896.

A BIRD IN THE HAND