PRIOR TO MISS BELLE'S APPEARANCE

What makes you come HERE fer, Mister,

So much to our house?--SAY?

Come to see our big sister!--

An' Charley he says 'at you kissed her

An' he ketched you, th'uther day!--

Didn' you, Charley?--But we p'omised Belle

An' crossed our heart to never to tell--

'Cause SHE gived us some o' them-er

Chawk'lut-drops 'at you bringed to her!

Charley he's my little b'uther--

An' we has a-mostest fun,

Don't we, Charley?--Our Muther,

Whenever we whips one anuther,

Tries to whip US--an' we RUN--

Don't we, Charley?--An' nen, bime-by,

Nen she gives us cake--an' pie--

Don't she, Charley?--when we come in

An' pomise never to do it ag'in!

HE'S named Charley.--I'm WILLIE--

An' I'm got the purtiest name!

But Uncle Bob HE calls me "Billy"--

Don't he, Charley?--'N' our filly

We named "Billy," the same

Ist like me! An' our Ma said

'At "Bob puts foolishnuss into our head!"--

Didn' she, Charley?--An' SHE don't know

Much about BOYS!--'Cause Bob said so!

Baby's a funniest feller!

Nain't no hair on his head--

IS they, Charley?--It's meller

Wite up there! An' ef Belle er

Us ask wuz WE that way, Ma said,--

"Yes; an' yer PA'S head wuz soft as that,

An' it's that way yet!"--An' Pa grabs his hat

An' says, "Yes, childern, she's right about Pa--

'Cause that's the reason he married yer Ma!"

An' our Ma says 'at "Belle couldn'

Ketch nothin' at all but ist 'BOWS!"--

An' PA says 'at "you're soft as puddun!"--

An' UNCLE BOB says "you're a good-un--

'Cause he can tell by yer nose!"-

Didn' he, Charley?--An' when Belle'll play

In the poller on th' pianer, some day,

Bob makes up funny songs about you,

Till she gits mad-like he wants her to!

Our sister FANNY she's 'LEVEN

Years old! 'At's mucher 'an _I_--

Ain't it, Charley? . . . I'm seven!--

But our sister Fanny's in HEAVEN!

Nere's where you go ef you die!--

Don't you, Charley?--Nen you has WINGS--

IST LIKE FANNY!--an' PURTIEST THINGS!--

Don't you, Charley?--An' nen you can FLY--

Ist fly-an' EVER'thing! . . . I Wisht I'D die!

The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley — Volume 1 · 第 75 / 111 题