Home Again With Me. Riley James Whitcomb

b Riley

      Home Again With Me / Illustrated

      DEDICATION

      HIS LOVE OF HOME

      "As love of native land," the old man said,

      'Er stars and stripes a-wavin' overhead,

      Er nearest kith-and-kin, er daily bread,

      A Hoosier's love is for the old homestead."

      HOME AGAIN WITH ME

      I'M a-feelin' ruther sad,

      Fer a father proud and glad

      As I am – my only child

      Home, and all so rickonciléd! —

      Feel so strange-like, and don't know

      What the mischief ails me so! —

      'Stid o' bad, I ort to be

      Feelin' good pertickerly—

      Yes, and extry thankful, too, —

      'Cause my nearest kith-and-kin,

      My Elviry's schoolin' 's through,

      And I' got her home ag'in —

      Home ag'in with me!

      My Elviry's schoolin' 's through,

      And I' got her home ag'in —

      Same as ef her mother'd bin

      Livin', I have done my best

      By the girl, and watchfulest;

      Nussed her – keerful' as I could —

      From a baby, day and night, —

      Drawin' on the neighberhood

      And the women-folks as light

      As needsessity 'u'd 'low —

      'Cept in "teethin'," onc't, and fight

      Through black-measles…

      Same as ef her mother'd bin

      Livin', I have done my best

      Don't know now

      How we ever saved the child!

      Doc hed give her up, and said

      (As I stood there by the bed

      Sort o' foolin' with her hair

      On the hot wet piller there)

      "Wuz no use!" – And at them-air

      Very words she waked and smiled —

      Yes, and knowed me. And that's where

      I broke down, and simply jes

      Bellered like a boy – I guess! —

      Women claimed I did, but I

      Alius helt I didn't cry

      But wuz laughin', – and I wuz, —

      (Men don't cry like women does!)

      Well, right then and there I felt

      'T 'uz her mother's doin's, and,

      Jes like to myse'f, I knelt,

      Whisperin' "I understand."…

      So I've raised her, you might say,

      Stric'ly in the narrer way

      'At her mother walked therein —

      Not so quite religiously,