Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-04-20
NUMBER Is.
postrp.
Betsey and I are Ont.
A FARM BALLAD.

We who have worked together so long as man
and wife
Must pull in single harness the rest of our
nai'rsi life.
What is the mstters" say you. swami it's
hard to tell;
Most of the years behind US we've passed by
very well,
have no other woman-she has no other man.
Only we've lived together as long As ever we
can.
- I've talked with Betsey. and Betsey has
talked with me
80 we've agreed together that we can't never
Not thai we've caiched each other la any ter
We've been ssiherin' this for years, little
al lime.
There WAS stock Of temper we both had. for
start,
Although we meier suspected fwould take Us
two apart,
had my various failinSs, bred in the flesh and
bone,
And Beisey. like all good women, had temper
OF her own.
The rrst thing remember whereon we dis
agreed
Was somethin concerning heayen-a difference
in our creed.
We arg'ed the thing AT breakfAst-we arg'ed
the thing AT tes-
And the more we srged the question, the more
we didn't agree.
And the next that remember was when we
lost a cow.
She had Kicked the bucket. certain-the ques-
ton was only-Hows
held myown opinion, anu Beisey another
had.
And when we were done \ lAlkin', we both Of
u WAS mad.
And The next that remember, it started in a
But fn,i lot a week it lasted. ami neither of us
spoke.
And the next WAS when scolded because she
broke bowl,
And she said | Wa mean and .lingy, and
hadn't any soul.
And 80 that bowl kept pourin' di.sensions in
our cup,
And 80 that blamed cow-crittcr was always q
comm up,
And so that heaven we arg'ed no nearer 10 Us
got.
But /: give "a a taste OF somethit.' thou sand
times a. hot.
And 80 the thing kept workin', and sll the self.
satne way
Always >omcthln' to arg'e, and somc,hin' sharp
TO saw,
And down on Us come the neighbour. q couple
dozen strong.
And lent their kindest sarvice to help the thing
along.
And there has been DAYS togeiher-and many
weary week
We was both Of IA cross and spunky. and both
too proud too speak
And | have been thinkin' and thAkin' the
whole of the " liter and fall
II can't live Kind with a woman WHY. then
won't Mt all.
And So / have talked with Betsey. and Betsey
has talked with me.
And We have agreed together that we can't
never agree,
And what is hers shall be herr. ana what i
hall Ds4
And TIL put il IN The agreement, and take II TO
her 10 sIgn.
Write the paper. lawycr-the very ir,t
paragraph
OF all the farm aud live sioeA. that he shall
have her half
For she has helped 10 earn II. through many
weary dAy.
And it, nothin more than justice that Bet,ey
has her pay.
Give her the house and homestead, man can
thrive snd roam.
But women are skeery critters, unIe-, they
have home
And l have always determined. and never
failed 10 say,
That Bet-cy never should want home. II
was taken away.
There !. little hard money that's drawin'
tofrabie pay.
couple OF hundred dollars laid by Tor a rainy
DAY.
Sale ia the hand. OF good men. and easy TO get
Put in another clause. there. and give her halt
of that.
les, l see you smile. sir, at my gisln' her 20
much,
Nes, divorce i cheap. sir, but | take no stock
In such.
True and fair | married ser. when she wa,
biIthe and Young.
And Bet,cy WAS afays good 10 IN, except
with her tongue.
Once, when | was yosng a you. and not 80
smart, perhaps.
For me he mittened lawyer. and several
other chaps,
And all Of them was fiustered and fairly taken
down.
Aud for time wa. counted the luckie., man
ia town.
Once when | had fever-I won't forge; i,
sOop-
was hot basted turke, and crazy a,
Never hour went by when she was out of
sight.
She nur,ed me true and tender. aud stuck 10
me day and night
And II ever house was tidy. ami ever kiich-
en- clean.
Her house and kitchen It'd, as any ever
seen.
And don't complain of Betsey or any Of her
acts,
Exccptin' when we've quar- elled and told each
OlneF iAtis.
- draw up the paper. lawyer. snI III 20 home
tonight.
And read the agreement TO her and see if IL.
all right.
And then Ia the In0rnini I'll sell TO a iradin'
man know
Aud Kiss the child thai was len to u, and out
in the world I'll 60.
And one thing put in the paper that first to me
didn't occur
That when am dead al iast she shall bring me
back 10 her,
And lay me under the naples planted year.
ago,
When she and was happy, before we quar-
relled 20.
And when >he dies. wish that she would be
laid by me.
And iyin' together in silence, perhaP, We viii
agree.
And if ever we meet in heaven, | wouldn't
think il qleer
II we loved each other the better because we
have quarrelied here.
w NJ. CARLETON. in the Toledo Bi1,ie