Scotty's dead--Of course he is!
Jes' that same old luck of his!--
Ever sence we went cahoots
He's be'n first, you bet yer boots!
When our schoolin' first begun,
Got two whippin's to my one:
Stold and smoked the first cigar:
Stood up first before the bar,
Takin' whisky-straight--and me
Wastin' time on "blackberry"!
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Beat me in the Army, too,
And clean on the whole way through!
In more scrapes around the camp,
And more troubles, on the tramp:
Fought and fell there by my side
With more bullets in his hide,
And more glory in the cause,--
That's the kind o' man _he_ was!
Luck liked Scotty more'n me.--
_I_ got married: Scotty, he
Never even would _apply_
Fer the pension-money I
Had to beg of "Uncle Sam"--
That's the kind o' cuss _I_ am!--
Scotty allus first and best--
Me the last and ornriest!
Yit fer all that's said and done--
All the battles fought and won--
We hain't prospered, him ner me--
Both as pore as pore could be,--
Though we've allus, up tel now,
Stuck together anyhow--
Scotty allus, as I've said,
Luckiest--And now he's _dead_!
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[Illustration: The old man--headpiece]