And when she dies I wish that she would be laid by me, And, lyin' together in silence, perhaps we will agree; And, if ever we meet in heaven, I wouldn't think it queer If we loved each other the better because we quarreled here. HOW BETSEY AND I MADE UP. GIVE us your hand, Mr. Lawyer: how do you do to-day? "GIVE US YOUR HAND, MR. LAWYER: HOW DO YOU DO TO-DAY?" You drew up that paper--I s'pose you want your pay. Don't cut down your figures; make it an X or a V; For that 'ere written agreement was just the makin' of me. Goin' home that evenin' I tell you I was blue, Thinkin' of all my troubles, and what I was goin' to do; And if my hosses hadn't been the steadiest team alive, They'd 've tipped me over, certain, for I couldn't see where to drive. No--for I was laborin' under a heavy load; No--for I was travelin' an entirely different road; For I was a-tracin' over the path of our lives ag'in, And seein' where we missed the way, and where we might have been. And many a corner we'd turned that just to a quarrel led, When I ought to 've held my temper, and driven straight ahead; And the more I thought it over the more these memories came, And the more I struck the opinion that I was the most to blame. And things I had long forgotten kept risin' in my mind, Of little matters betwixt us, where Betsey was good and kind; And these things flashed all through me, as you know things sometimes will When a feller's alone in the darkness, and every thing is still. "But," says I, "we're too far along to take another track, And when I put my hand to the plow I do not oft turn back; And 'tain't an uncommon thing now for couples to smash in two;" And so I set my teeth together, and vowed I'd see it through. When I come in sight o' the house 'twas some'at in the night, And just as I turned a hill-top I see the kitchen light; "AND JUST AS I TURNED A HILL-TOP I SEE THE KITCHEN LIGHT." Which often a han'some pictur' to a hungry person makes, But it don't interest a feller much that's goin' to pull up stakes. And when I went in the house the table was set for me-- As good a supper's I ever saw, or ever want to see; And I crammed the agreement down my pocket as well as I could, And fell to eatin' my victuals, which somehow didn't taste good. And Betsey, she pretended to look about the house, But she watched my side coat pocket like a cat would watch a mouse: And then she went to foolin' a little with her cup, And intently readin' a newspaper, a-holdin' it wrong side up. "AND INTENTLY READIN' A NEWSPAPER, A-HOLDIN' IT WRONG SIDE UP." And when I'd done my supper I drawed the agreement out, And give it to her without a word, for she knowed what 'twas about; And then I hummed a little tune, but now and then a note Was bu'sted by some animal that hopped up in my throat.