Us two wuz boys when we fell out,—
Nigh to the age uv my youngest now;
Don’t rec’lect what ’twuz about,
Some small deeff’rence, I’ll allow.
Lived next neighbors twenty years,
A-hatin’ each other, me ’nd Jim,—
He having _his_ opinyin uv _me_,
’Nd _I_ havin’ _my_ opinyin uv _him_.
Grew up together ’nd wouldn’t speak,
Courted sisters, ’nd marr’d ’em, too;
’Tended same meetin’-house oncet a week,
A-hatin’ each other through ’nd through!
But when Abe Linkern asked the West
F’r soldiers, we answered,—me ’nd Jim,—
_He_ havin’ _his_ opinyin uv _me_,
’Nd _I_ havin’ _my_ opinyin uv _him_.
But down in Tennessee one night
Ther’ wuz sound uv firin’ fur away,
’Nd the sergeant allowed ther’d be a fight
With the Johnnie Rebs some time nex’ day;
’Nd as I wuz thinkin’ uv Lizzie ’nd home
Jim stood afore me, long ’nd slim,—
_He_ havin’ _his_ opinyin uv _me_,
’Nd _I_ havin’ _my_ opinyin uv _him_.
Seemed like we knew there wuz goin’ to be
Serious trouble f’r me ’nd him;
Us two shuck hands, did Jim ’nd me,
But never a word from me or Jim!
He went _his_ way ’nd _I_ went _mine_,
’Nd into the battle’s roar went we,—
_I_ havin’ _my_ opinyin of Jim,
’Nd _he_ havin’ _his_ opinyin uv _me_.
Jim never came back from the war again,
But I hain’t forgot that last, last night
When, waitin’ f’r orders, us two men
Made up ’nd shuck hands, afore the fight,
’Nd after it all, it’s soothin’ to know
That here I be ’nd younder’s Jim,—
_He_ havin’ _his_ opinyin uv _me_,
’Nd _I_ havin’ _my_ opinyin uv _him_.