The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-06-30
POetical.
Betsy and I are Out.

Draw MP tie papers, law ser, and make 'om good
For things at home are cross.ways, and Betsy
We, who lave worked together so long as man
Must pull q single harness the rest of our nat.
raj life.
"What IS the matter9" say you. swan It's
hard TO tell;
Most of tho years behind us we've passed by
have no other womnn-s she has no other man.
only we lived together as long M ever we can.
so I've talked with Betsy, and Betsy has talked
with me;
so we've agreed together that We can't never
Not that we've catchod each other IN any terrible
We've been gathern' this for years, little at a
time.
There was stock of temper We both had for u
Although We no'cr suspected 1t would take us
| had my various fnllings bred in the flesh and
And Betsy, like all good women, had n temper OF
her own.
The first thing that l remember whoreon we dis
Was somethn' concerning heaven, n difference
in our creed.
We org'ed the thing at brcakfasi-we arg'ed the
And the mere we ars'ed the question, the more
we didn't agree.
And the next remember was when we lost
She had kicked the hnsket certain-the question
held my own opinion, and Betsy another had ;
And when we We're done taikn' we both of us
was mad.
And the next that remember, 1t started in n
But uila week it lasted, and neither of us spoke,
Ana the next was when l scolded because she
And she said was mean and stngy, and hadn't
any soul.
And so that bowl kept pourin' dissentions in
Aud SO that blamed cow.crittcr was always
SO that heaven as we nrg'ed no nearer to us got.
But IL gave us n taste of something II thousand
times as hot.
And so the thing kept workln', and all the self
Always somethin' to argc and somcthn' sharp
And down on US came neighbors, a couple dozen
And lent their kndest service to help the thing
along
And there has been days together-and many n
We both OF US cross and spunky, and both too
proud TO speak.
And have been thinkin and thnkin' the whole
of the winter and fall,
IT. can't live kind with woman, why, then
won't at all.
And so I've talked with Betsy, and Betsy has
talked with me,
And we have agreed together that we can't never
And what Is hers shall be hers. and what is mine
And ri shall nnt be be NH mime
to sign.
Write on the paper, lawyer-the very first para
OF all the iarm and live stock, that she shall
have her half;
For she has helped to earn it, through many n
And it s nothing more than justice that Betsy
has her pay.
Give her the house and homestead a man can
thrive and roam,
But women are skeery critters unless they have
home;
And have always determined, and never failed
That Betsy never should want u home If was
taken away.
There is little hard money that's drawin' tol'-
A couple OF hundred dollars laid b. for rainy
day
Safe in the hands of good men. and easy to get al
Put in another clause there, ana give her hall o
that.
Yes. see you smile. sir, at my givin her SO
Yes, divorce is cheap, sir, but take no stock in
such.
True and fair married her. when she was blythe
and young,
And Betsy was ai'ays good to me excepting with
her tongue.
Once, when was young as You, and not so smart
perhaps,
For me she inittencd n law yer and several other
chaps;
And all OF 'ein was lustered and fairly taken
And for time was counted the luckiest man
in town.
Once, when had fever-I won't forget 1t soon-
| was as hot as II roasted turkey and crazy as &
loon
| Never al hour went by when she was out o
sight,
She nursed inc true and tender, and stuck to mC
day and night.
| And If ever house was tidy, and ever kitchen
clean,
Her house and kitchen was tidy as any evel
| seen;
| And don't complain Betsy nor any of hel
acts,
Exceptin' when we've quarreled and told eacl
other facts.
so draw up the paper, lawyer, and III go hom
And read the agreement to her and see If It's al
| right
And then in the mornin l. sell To u tradlh lnai
| know
| And kiss the child that was left to us, and out IL
| the world I'll 90.
And one thing put in the paper, that first to mi
| diOn't occur
That when I'm dead at last they shall bring M
And lay inc under the naples 1 planted year
| ago,
| When she and | were happy, before we quarrele'
50;
| And when she dies, wish that she would b
And lyin' together in silence, perhaps we will
| agree; ...,,
And If eSerwe meet in heaven, wouldn't thinl
IL queer
| have quarreed here.
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