But when suppah time is ovah an' de things is cl'ared away, Den de happy hours dat foller are de sweetes' ob de day. When my co'n-cob pipe is sta'ted, an' de smoke is drawin' prime, My ole 'ooman says, "I reckon, Ike, it's candle-lightin' time." Den de chillun snuggle up to me and all commence to call, "Oh, say, daddy, now it's time to make de shadders on de wall." So I puts my han's togethah--evah daddy knows de way-- An' de chillun snuggle closer roun' es I begin to say, "Fus thing, hyeah come mistah Rabbit, don' you see him wuk his eahs? Huh uh! dis mus' be a donky; look how innercent he 'pears! Dah's de ole black swan a-swimmin', ain't she got a' awfu' neck? Who's dis feller dat's a-comin'? why, dat's ole dog Tray I 'spec!" Dat's de way I run on, tryin' fer to please 'em all I can; Den I hollahs, "Now be keerful, dis hyeah las' 's de buga-man!" An' dey runs an' hides dey faces; dey ain't skeered--dey's lettin' on, But de play ain't raaly ovah twell dat buga-man is gone. So I jes' takes up my banjo an' I plays a little chune, An' you see dem hai'ds come peepin' out to listen mighty soon. Den my wife say, "Sich a pappy fer to give you sich a fright! Jes' you go to bed, an' leave him, say yo' prayers, an' say good night." FOOTNOTE: [65] By permission of Dodd, Mead & Co., publishers. From "Lyrics of Lowly Life," 1896. A BIRD IN THE HAND F. E. WEATHERLY There were three young maids of Lee, And they were fair as fair can be; And they had lovers three times three, For they were fair as fair can be, These three young maids of Lee. But these young maids they cannot find A lover each to suit her mind; The plain-spoke lad is far too rough, The rich young lord not rich enough, And one's too poor, and one too tall, And one an inch too short for them all. "Others pick and choose, and why not we? We can very well wait," said these maids of Lee. There were three young maids of Lee, And they were fair as fair can be; And they had lovers three times three, For they were fair as fair can be, These three young maids of Lee. There are three old maids of Lee, And they are old as old can be; And one is deaf, and one can't see, And they all are cross as a gallows tree, These three old maids of Lee. Now, if any one chanced--'tis a chance remote-- One single charm in these maids to note, He need not a poet nor handsome be, For one is deaf, and one can't see; He need not woo on his bended knee, For they all are willing as willing can be; He may take the one or the two or the three, If he'll only take them away from Lee.