Jane Jones keeps talkin' to me all the time, An' says you must make it a rule To study your lessons 'nd work hard 'nd learn, An' never be absent from school. Remember the story of Elihu Burrit, An' how he clum up to the top, Got all the knowledge 'at ever he had Down in a blacksmithing shop! Jane Jones she honestly said it was so! Mebbe he did-- I dunno! O' course what's a-keepin' me 'way from the top, Is not never havin' no blacksmithing shop. She said 'at Ben Franklin was awfully poor, But full of ambition an' brains; An' studied philosophy all his hull life, An' see what he got for his pains! He brought electricity out of the sky, With a kite an' a bottle an' key, An' we're owing him more 'n any one else For all the bright lights 'at we see. Jane Jones she honestly said it was so! Mebbe he did-- I dunno! O' course what's allers been hinderin' me Is not havin' any kite, lightning, er key. Jane Jones said Abe Lincoln had no books at all An' used to split rails when a boy; An' General Grant was a tanner by trade An' lived way out in Ill'nois. So when the great war in the South first broke out He stood on the side o' the right, An' when Lincoln called him to take charge o' things He won nearly every blamed fight. Jane Jones she honestly said it was so! Mebbe he did-- I dunno! Still I ain't to blame, not by a big sight, For I ain't never had any battles to fight. She said 'at Columbus was out at the knees When he first thought up his big scheme, An' told all the Spaniards 'nd Italians, too, An' all of 'em said 'twas a dream. But Queen Isabella jest listened to him, 'Nd pawned all her jewels o' worth, 'Nd bought him the Santa Maria 'nd said, "Go hunt up the rest o' the earth!" Jane Jones she honestly said it was so! Mebbe he did-- I dunno! O' course that may be, but then you must allow They ain't no land to discover jest now! FOOTNOTE: [71] By permission of the author and Forbes & Co., publishers. KNEE-DEEP IN JUNE[72] JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY Tell you what I like the best-- 'Long about knee-deep in June, 'Bout the time strawberries melt On the vine,--some afternoon Like to jes' git out and rest, And not work at nothin' else! Orchard's where I'd ruther be-- Needn't fence it in fer me! Jes' the whole sky overhead, And the whole airth underneath-- Sorto' so's a man kin breathe Like he ort, and kind o' has Elbow-room to keerlessly Sprawl out len'thways on the grass Where the shadders thick and soft As the kivvers on the bed Mother fixes in the loft Allus, when they's company!