Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-09-22
BETsEY AND ARE OUT.

BETSEY AND L ARE OUT.
Draw up the papers. lawyer, and make 'em good
and stout.
For things at home are crossways and Betsey
and are out
We. who have worked together so long as man
and wife,
Must pull in single harness for the rest of our
nat'ral life.
what is the mstterg' say you. 1 swan 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 so long as we ever
can.
So I've talked with Betsey and Betsey has
talked with me-
And so we've agreed together that we can't
never agree.
Not that we've catched each other in any ter
rible crime;
We've been a-gatheriug this for years a little
at a time.
There was stock of temper we both had for a
start.
Although we never SUSPECTED 'twould take us
two apart.
had my various failings, bred in the flesh and
bone.
And Betsey, like all good women, had temper
of her own.
The first thing remember whereon we dis
agreed
Was something concerning heaven-a differ
ence in our creed.
We acg'ed the thing at breakfas /; we arg'ed
the thing at tea:
And the more we arg'ed the question the more
we didn't agree.
And the next that remember was when we
lost a COW.
She had kicked the bucket for certain: the
question was only-hOwg
held my own opinion and Betsey anothe had;
And when we were done a-talkin' we both OF
was mad.
And the next that remember. it started in a
joke.
spoke.
And the next was when scOlded because she
broke bowl,
And she said was mean and stingy, and hadn't
any soul.
And so that bowl kept pourin' dissensions in
our cup:
AAN ~ NoW-NElllcE WAS always
a-comin' up.
And so that heaven we arged no nearer ia MS
got,
But IL gave us a taste of somethin' thousand
times as hot
And so the thingkept workin', and all the self
same way;
Always somethin' 20 arg'e, and somethin'
| sharp to say;
/ And down On ms oonoo tha pofghbors n .o,,c1o
dozen strong,
And lent their kindest sarvice for to help the
thing along.
And there has been days together-and many
weary week
We was both of us cross and spunly. ana both
too proud TO speak.
And 1 have been thinkin' and thinkin' the
whole of the winter and fall
IL cap'tlive kind with woman. why. then.
| won't ut 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 hers. ana what IS
mine shall be mine,
And I'll put it in the agreement and take it 10
] her 20 sign.
Write I'm the paper, lawyer-the very first
paragraph
OF all the farm and livestock that she shall
have her half;
For she has helped 20 earn Il through many a
weary day,
And it's nothing more than justice that Betsey
| has her pay.
Give her the house and homestead man can
thrive and roam,
But women are skcrry critters. unless they
have home;
And 7 have always determined. and never
failed to say,
That Betsey never should wanta home i'll was
taken away.
There'sa a little hard money that's drawin' tol'-
rabIe pay.
Acouple of hundred dollars laid by for rainy
day:
Safe in the hands OF good men and easy to get
at:
Put in another clause there and give her half
OF that.
Yes, see you smile, sir, at my giyin' 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 al'ays good TO me. exceptin'
with her tongue.
Once. when was young as you, aud not SO
smart. perhaps,
For me she mittened lawyer and several
other chaps;
And all of them was fiustered and fairly taken
down,
And I. for time, was counted the luckiest
man in town.
Once, when had a fever-I won't forget il
soon
I was hot as basted turkey, and crazy as a
loon.
Never an hour went by me when she was out
OF sight;
She nursed me true and tender, and stuck by
me day and night.
And If ever a house was tidy, and ever a kitch
| en- clean,
Her house and kitchen was tidy as any ever
| seen.
And:I don't complain Of Bctsey, or any of he
acts,
Exceptin' when we've quarreled, and told eacl
other facts
so draw up the paper, lawyer and III go hom
tonight
And read the agreement to her, and see if IT,
all right;
And then in the mornin' III sell to a tradir
man know,
And kiss the child that was left TO us, and on
, in the world I'll 20.
And one thing put in the paper that first
me didn't occur
That when I'm dead at last she'll bring m
back 10 her,
And lay me under the naples planted year
ago
When she and was happy before we quarrele
And when she dies wish that she would b
laid by me,
And, iyin' together in silence. perhaps we wi
agree;
And If ever we meet in heaven, I wonldn
think it queer
five loved each other the better because W