James Whitcomb Riley

“ Ever'thing a father could
Do he knowed the mother would
Ef she'd lived.—And now all's through
And I' got her home ag'in—
Home ag'in with me!
Original
Original And 040I' bin so lonesome, too—
Here o' late, especially,—
"Old Aunt Abigail," you know,
Ain't no company;—and so
Jes the hired hand, you see—
Jonas—like a relative
More—sence he come here to live
With us, nigh ten year' ago.
Original
Original Still 044he don't count much, you know.
In the line o' company—
Lonesome, 'peared-like, 'most as me! ”

“ With their settin'-hen, one day?—
(Said she'd got Marne's postal-card
'Bout it, very day 'at she
Started home from Bethany.)
Original
Original How 072wuz pro-duce—eggs, and lard?—
Er wuz stores still claimin' "hard
Times," as usual? And, says she,
Troubled-like, "How's Deedie—say? ”