Classic Poem

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 inte rest in',
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 lee tle kind o' sort o'" " —
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, some way,
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 sort o' 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 e another
Jes' like one famb'ly, — me and Pap
And Madaline and Mother.