The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-05-26
From the Toledo Blade.
BETsEY AND L ARE OUT.
4 BALLAD FoR 1.-THE PER1op.. :,


A BALLAD FOR 1.-THE PERIOD"
Draw up the papers, lawyer, and make sen
For things at home are cross-ways, and Bet
sey and are out.
We who have worked together so long as man
Must pull in single harness the rest OF oul
napral life.
What Is the matters' say your swami III
Most Of the years behind us we've passed By
have no other wOrnan-she has no othel
Only we've lived together as long as we evel
can.
So have talked with Betsey, and Betsey has
talked with me;
So we've agreed together that we can't never
agree;
Not that we've eatched each other in any ter.
| ribie crime;
We've been gatherin' this FOR yesrs, a little
at time
There was stock Of temper we both had, for
Although we Ee'er suspected 'twould take US
two apart;
1 had my various failings, bred in the flesh
And Betsey, like all good woman, had a tenn
per OF her own.
The first thing remember wherein we disa-
Wa; ;; someshin' concerning heaven, difference
the thing 1t tea
And the more we arg'ed the question, the
more we didn't agree.
And the next that remember was when we
Jost COW;
She had kicked the bucket for certain-the
question was oniy-Hows
held my own opinion, and Betsey another
had;
And when we were done a talkin', we both of
us was mad.
And the next that remember, it started in a
But full for a week it lasted. and neither of Ms
spoke.
And the next was when scolded because she
broke bowl:
And she said was mean and stingy, and had
MT any soul.
And SO that bowl kept pourin' dissensions in
our cup;
And SO that blamed eow-critter was always
comm up;
And so that heaven we arg'ed no nearer to us
got;
But it gave us taste of somethin, thousand
times as hot.
And SO the thing kept workin', and all the
self same way;
Always somethin' to arg'e, and somethin,
And down on us come the neighbors, a couple
dozen strong.
thing along.
And there has been days together-and many
weary week
We was both of us cross and spunky and both
too proud to speak.
And have been thinkin' and thinkin' the
whole of the winter and fall,
If can't live kind with a woman WHY then
won't at all.
And SO have talked with Betsey, and Betsey
has talked with me,
And we've agreed together that we can't new
er agree;
And what is hers shall be hers, and what is
mine shall be mine;
And rll put in the agreement, and take it to
her to sign.
Write on the paper, lawyer-the very first
or all the farm and live stock, that she shall
For she has helped to earn it, through many |
weary day,
And it's nothin' more than justice that Betsey |
has her pay.
Give her the house and homestead; man can |
But women are skeery critters. unless they |
have a home.
And have always determined, and never
failed to say,
That Betsey never should want home, if |
was taken away.
There is > little hard money that's drawin' |
A couple of hundred dollars laid by for a |
Safe in the hands of good men, and easy to get
Put in another clause, there, and give her
half Of that.
Yes, see you smile, sir, at my given her so
much;
Yes, divorce is cheap, sir, but take no stock |
in such.
True and fair married her, when she was
blithe and young;
And Betsey was aPays good to me, except |
with her tongue.
Once. when was young as you, aud not SO
smaFt, perhaps,
For she mittened lawyer, ana several |
other chaps:
And all of 'em was clustered, and fairly taken |
down,
And for time was counted the luckiest
man in town.
Once when l had fever--I won't forget it |
I was hot hasted turkey and crazy as |
loon
Never an hour went by ne when she was out
of sight;
She uursed me true and tender, and stuck TO |
me day and night.
And If ever house was tidy, and ever Il |
Her house and kitchen was tidy as any ever
seen,
And don't complain of Betsey or any of her |
acts,
Exeeptin' when we've quarrelled and told
each other facts.
SO draw up the paper, lawyer; and I'll go |
home tonight,
And read the agreement to her and see if it's
right; |
And then in the mornin' rll sell to a fradin' !
man 1 know
And kiss the child that was left to us and out |
in the world I'll go.
And me thing put in the paper-that first to
me didn't occur |
That when am dead at last she bring me |
back to her; |
And lay me under the naples planted years |
ago.
When she and was happy, before we quar-
relied so.
And when she dies wish that she would be |
laid by me;
And lynn together in silence, perhaps we will |
agree;
And II ever we meet in heaven, wouldn't |
think it Sueer
If we loved each other the better because we |
have quarrelled here.