The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-04-23

Give me your hand, Mr.. Lawyer; how d.
you do to-day?
You drew up that agreement--I s'pos,
you want your pay;
Don't cut down your figures; make it al
X or a v;
For that ere written agreement was JUS
the maxim Of me.
Coin home that evenin, tell you l was
| blue,
Thlnkin' of all my troubles, and what
was goin to do;
And, If my hosses hadn't been the stead
lest team alive,
They'd We tipp'd me over, certain, for
couldn't see where to drive
No-for l was laborin' under a heavy
load;
No-for | was travelin' an entirely differ.
ent road;
For was a-tracln' over the path of our
lives ag'in,
And seein' where we miss'd the way, and
where we might have been.
And many a corner we'd turn'd that just
to quarrel led,
When l ought to've held my temper, and
driven straight ahead;
And the more l thought it over the more
these memories came,
And the more / struck the opinion that
was the most to blame.
And things had long forgotten kept
risin' in my mind,
OF little matters betwixt us, where Betsy
was good and kind;
And these things they hash'd all through
me, as you know things sometimes
will,
When fellers alone In the darkness,
and everything is still.
But" says l, we're too far along to
take another track,
And when put my hand to the plough
| do not oft turn back
And 'tain't an uncommon thing now for
couples to smash in two,"
And so / set my teeth together, and
vow'd I'd see it through.
When | came In sight O. the house twas
some'at in the night,
And Just as turn'd hilltop see the
Kitchens light;
Which often handsome pictur to q
hungry person makes,
But 1t don't interest feller much that's
goin' to pull up stakes.
And when | went In the house. the table
was set for me-
AS good a supper's ever saw, or ever
want to see;
And l cramm'd the agreement down in
my pocket as we'll as I could,
And fell to eatin' my victuals, which
somehow didn't taste good.
And Betsy she pretended to look about
the house,
But she watch'd my side coat pocket like
a cat would watch a mouse;
And then she went to foolin' little with
her cup,
And intently readin' newspaper, a-hold-
In it wrong side up.
And when I'd done my supper l draw'd
the agreement out,
And give 1t to her without a word for
she know'd what twas about,
And then | humm'd little tuna, but now
and then note
hiret ta1 hu
up in my throat.
Then Betsy she got her specs from off
the mantel shelf,
And read the article over quite softly to
herself;
Read it little and little, for her eyes is
gettin' old,
And lawyers writin' amt no print, es-
pecially when it's cold.
And after she'd read little she give my
arm a touch,
And kindly said she was afraid | was
'lowin' her too much;
But when she was through she went for
me, her face a-streamin' with
tears,
And kissed me for the first time in over
twenty years.
don't know what you'll think. Sir
didn't come to inquire
But | picked up that agreement and
stuif'd 1t In the fire;
And l told her we'd bury the Ratchet
alongside of the cow:
IND we struck an agreement never to |
have another row.
And told her in the future | wouldn't
speak cross or rash,
( half the crockery in the house was
broken all to smash;
Ind she said in regard to Heaven. we'd I
try and learn its worth
BY startin' branch establishment and
runnin' 1t here on earth.
md so we sat a'talkin' three-quarters OF
the night,
And open'd our hearts to each other until
they both grew light;
md the days when | was winnin' her
away from SO many men
Vas nothin' to that evenin' courted her
over again.
sext mornin' an ancient virgin took
pains to call on us,
Ter lamp all trimmd and a-burnin' to
kindle another fuss: