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. [Illustration] 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 ben _turned_ Er shore-enough a new-un!"-- Er "ef Steve's city-friend haint jes 'A _lee_tle 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, _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 was 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 fam'bly,--me and Pap And Madaline and Mother. [Illustration] [Illustration] LAUGHTER HOLDING BOTH HIS SIDES Ay, thou varlet!--Laugh away! All the world's a holiday! Laugh away, and roar and shout Till thy hoarse tongue lolleth out! Bloat thy cheeks, and bulge thine eyes Unto bursting; pelt thy thighs With thy swollen palms, and roar As thou never hast before! Lustier! wilt thou! peal on peal! Stiflest? Squat and grind thy heel-- Wrestle with thy loins, and then Wheeze thee whiles, and whoop again! THE SONG OF YESTERDAY I But yesterday I looked away O'er happy lands, where sunshine lay In golden blots Inlaid with spots Of shade and wild forget-me-nots. My head was fair With flaxen hair, And fragrant breezes, faint and rare, And warm with drouth From out the south, Blew all my curls across my mouth. And, cool and sweet, My naked feet Found dewy pathways through the wheat; And out again Where, down the lane, The dust was dimpled with the rain. [Illustration] II But yesterday:-- Adream, astray, From morning's red to evening's gray, O'er dales and hills Of daffodils And lorn sweet-fluting whippoorwills. I knew nor cares Nor tears nor prayers-- A mortal god, crowned unawares With sunset--and A scepter-wand Of apple-blossoms in my hand! The dewy blue Of twilight grew To purple, with a star or two Whose lisping rays Failed in the blaze Of sudden fireflies through the haze.