[Unavailable image: Waitin' Fer The Cat to Die—Title] Lawzy! don't I rickollect That-'air old swing in the lane! Right and proper, I expect, Old times can't come back again; But I want to state, ef they Could come back, and I could say What my pick 'ud be, i jing! I'd say, Gimme the old swing 'Nunder the old locus'-trees On the old place, ef you please!— Danglin' there with half-shet eye, Waitin' fer the cat to die! I'd say, Gimme the old gang Of barefooted, hungry, lean, Ornry boys you want to hang When you're growed up twic't as mean! The old gyarden-patch, the old Truants, and the stuff we stol'd! The old stompin'-groun', where we Wore the grass off, wild and free As the swoop of the old swing, Where we ust to climb and cling, And twist roun', and fight, and lie— Waitin' fer the cat to die! 'Pears like I 'most allus could Swing the highest of the crowd— Jes sail up there tel I stood Downside-up, and screech out loud,— Ketch my breath, and jes drap back Fer to let the old swing slack, Yit my tow-head dippin' still In the green boughs, and the chill Up my backbone taperin' down, With my shadder on the ground' Slow and slower trailin' by— Waitin' fer the cat to die! [Unavailable image: Barefooted, hungry, lean, ornry boys] Now my daughter's little Jane's Got a kind o' baby-swing On the porch, so's when it rains She kin play there—little thing! And I'd limped out t'other day With my old cheer this-a-way, Swingin' her and rockin' too, Thinkin' how I ust to do At her age, when suddently, "Hey, Gran'pap!" she says to me, "Why you rock so slow?" ... Says I, "Waitin' fer the cat to die!" [Unavailable image: Why you rock so slow?]
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