The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-07-18
BETSY AND L ARE OUT,
A Farm Ballad.

BETSY AND ARE OUT.
A Farm Ballad.
Draw up the papers lawyer, and make 'em good
| and stout;
For things at home are cross ways, and Betsy
and are out:
We who have worked together so long as man
| and wife
Must pull in single harness the rest of our nat
| raj life.
''what is the matterP" day you. I swan its
| hard to tali;
Most of the years behind Us we've passed by
very well;
have Id other woman-she has no other man,
Only we've lived together so long as ever we can
So I have talked with Betsy, RHd Betsy has
talked with me;
So we've agreed together that we can't never
agree;
Not that we've catched each other in any terri
| rible crime;
We've been gatherin' this for years, little at
| time.
There was stock Of temper we both had, for
Although we never suspected 'twould take us
two apart;
had my various feelings, bred in the flesh and
bone,
And Betsy, like all good wotnen, had temper
The first thing remember whereoa we disa-
sreed
Was 5omethn concerning HeaNn--a differ
| ence in our creed;
Ws arg'ed the thins, CT treaIa ST W. neg'cd the
thing ct Ssa:
And the mort we ar5el tas lnere re Iidn't
And the next that remember was when we
lost acow;
She hn1 Kicked the s4cket Tor 'certsin-the
4 question ysas only-howS
held Ely o,n. cpiKion, s...d Betsy another ned;
And when we were done talkin' We both Of Us
al was mad.
And the next that remember, it started in a
joke;
But full fer T. week it lasted, and neither of us
spoke;
!. And the next was when scolded because she
broke bo1l,
II AL At II loI
any soul,
!, And SO that bowl kept pourin' dissensions in
t our cup;
t And so that blamed cow-critter Was always q
: comm up;
j And SO that Heaven we arg'ed no nearer to ta
q got;
e Bnt it gave us taste of something a thousand
times as hot.
/ And so the thing kept workin' and all the self.
/. same way;
:, Always something to arg'e, and, something
sharp to say,
: And down on us come the neighbors, couple
: hundred strong,
: And lent their kndest service to help the thing
e along.
/ And there has been days together-and many
aweary week
@ We was both of us cross and spunky, and both
l. too proud to speak,
l. And I have been thinkin' and thinkin', the
nl whole of the winter and fall,
b If can't live kind with woman, why, then
s won't at all.
And so L have talked with Betsy, and Betsy ha.
talked with me;
, never agree,
# And what is hers shall be hers, and what i.
y mine shall be mine;
o And I'll put it in the agreement and take it te
II her to sign.
Write on the paper, lawyer-the very first par
agraph-
OF all the farm and live stock, that she shall
have her half;
? For she has helped me earn it, through many a
G weary day,
And it's nothin' more than justice that Betsy
has her pay.
thrive and roam,
r But women are skeery critters, unless they hav,
a home.
j. And have always determined, and neve,
t. failed to say,
/. That Betsy should never want home, if I wa
J, taken away.
f There's little hard money that's drawin' tol'
!, rable pay
. A couple hundred dollars that's laid BY for {
nj rainy day
!. Safe in the hands of good men. aud easy to ge,
n Put in another clause. there and give her hal
/. Of that.
O Yes / see you smile, sir, at my givin her y
much;
k Yes, divorce Is cheap, sir; but Ill take nc
e stock in such;
It Trne and fair l married her, when she wa.
u blithe and young
; And Betsy was always good to me, exosp,
with her tongue.
:, Once, when was youns as you, and not ST
:. smart. psrhAps,
For mo she mittened . lawyer and several
ia other chaps;
e And all Of 'em was Austered, aud fairly taker
It down,
And I for a time, was counted the luckies
n man in town.
}. Once when I had a fever-I won't forget /
G Twas hot as a basted turkey, and crazy as
n loon.
le Never an hour went by when she was out o.
u siyht.