Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-09-30
Mountain Home, Idaho, September 80, 1909
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THE FAcE on LITTLE roors.

for the night was dark and dreary
An the rain fallin fast;
But within, the boys were cheerful
An the times quickly passed.
Till at length. the boys stopped chattin
An began to leave for bed
Till found myself there settin
BY one chap with low bowed head. 4Y
An the feller wasn't smokin- essrgW
Somethin strange for travelin men,
So / noticed this here Teller Eaak
An spoke to him right then; So
Say, old pard, you're lokin lonesome, ~
Hope you haven't got the blues;" s
Hotel life aint up to much 49,
VIII you have little booze?"
But he raised his head and thanked me
Al his face wore such a. smile ~
That knew that he'd been feelin
Not so bad; for all the while ef
THAT the fellers ahd been yarnin- w,sntss
Telin tales both rich and gay,
Then knew that he'd been thinkin l@sSS
An his thought We're miles away. 3
An his voice grew kind tender; ,sfslsH
In his eye, saw the brine Ns5
I've been settin here and thinkin
OF that little home of mine EfS3
There's wife and children waitin fAsk
For thestme when I'll return
And tonight I'm feelin lonesome -
An you don't know how yearn
For my heart is gettin hungry "a
Just to see my little wife
An my four, sweet, lovin children
Say old man! That's what makes life" 4.
Then said Il spose you're right pard
But pass-it's not my game;
For you see I'm just a miner ~
An I've only got claim
An crackin, husky dog team
That's the size of all my kin;
So I'm down here in the city
Just to blow little tin"
Then he handed me picture
An he said to me quit low,
'Tis the picture of my baby
You can see yourself I know,
Why the yarns the boys were tellin
Had no charms at all for me.
He's the cutest little feller
An his eyes will dance with glee
When he sees his pepper comm
Why he'll run and grab my leg
An with childish face uplifted,
lie Will cling so tight and beg
'Des to dive him one big hug;
To be lifted by his pepper -.f
With his head upon my shoulder,
He VIII lie so close and snug
With his chubby arm locked round nv neck
And his cheek pressed close to mine.
Then he'll kiss his daddy fondIy
Which to me is more than mine.
Then, he'll rumage through my pockets.
Just to find the nuts and fruits
Or the peppermints or chocolates
That his dad has brought for 'Toots'.
An with all your golden treasure.
don't envy you bit
Nor the boys with all their stories
An their fund of ready wit"
Then I said (my voice was husky)
well you're right my friend, 1 think
But I'm feelin mighty measley;
Spose we have a little drink?" '-'
But he raised his head and thanked me
An his face was beamn bright
So we parted in the lobby
As he wished me Good Night.
Then he went to peaceful slumber 1-
An to dream of Little Toots' ~s
While I smoked my pipe in silence
Then, I took drink Of hootch
But the strongest brand of liquor
That was ever known to man,
Couldn't that lump that riz up
In my throatznot worth a damn.
An the brinty eye grew DINNER
Till couldn't see an ace
So / quit the game disgusted
Jest a thinkin of that face
An the JOY Of really Iivin;
Like that man whose got a home
With a wife and kids to love him;
While ] can only roam
The city's maze of gilded sin
An spend my gold for 'hootch'-
But I'll not forget whiel memory lasts,
The face Of little Toots'.
Printed by permission Of the author.
Copyrighted 1907. Robt Robinson.
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