  My dear old friends—It jes beats all, The way you write a letter So’s ever’ last line beats the first, And ever’ next-un’s better!— W’y, ever’ fool-thing you putt down You make so interestin’, A feller, readin’ of ’em all, Can’t tell which is the best-un. It’s all so comfortin’ and good, ’Pears-like I almost hear ye And git more sociabler, you know, And hitch my cheer up near ye And jes smile on ye like the sun Acrosst the whole per-rairies In Aprile when the thaw’s begun And country couples marries. It’s all so good-old-fashioned like To talk jes like we’re thinkin’, Without no hidin’ back o’ fans And giggle-un and winkin’, Ner sizin’ how each other’s dressed— Like some is allus doin’,— “Is Marthy Ellen’s basque be’n turned Er shore-enough a new-un!”— Er “ef Steve’s city-friend hain’t jes ‘A leetle kindo’-sorto’”— Er “wears them-air blame’ eye-glasses Jes ’cause he hadn’t ort to?”— And so straight on, dad-libitum, Tel all of us feels, someway, Jes like our “comp’ny” wuz the best When we git up to come ’way! That’s why I like old friends like you,— Jes ’cause you’re so abidin’.— Ef I wuz built to live “fer keeps,” My principul residin’ Would be amongst the folks ’at kep’ Me allus thinkin’ of ’em, And sorto’ eechin’ all the time To tell ’em how I love ’em.— Sich folks, you know, I jes love so I wouldn’t live without ’em, Er couldn’t even drap asleep But what I dreamp’ about ’em,— And ef we minded God, I guess We’d all love one another Jes like one famb’ly,—me and Pap |
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