The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1915-07-23

With horses and cattle quite plenty,
And three squalling young ones t
spank.
Her husband, Bill Slocum, enlisted
Only one year before so she said;
And the first thing she heard he was
captured,
AID the next news she got he wal
dead.
The tears flowed quite freely Will,
telling
How much she missed him-but ther
There was still consolation in thinking
That there was yet left noble men.
And then she would glance at me
queerly,
And, signing, saying | looked like
Bill
Draw her chair up beside me at even
ing,
And ask if | didn't feel i'll.
| couldn't withstand such devotion,
But porposed, was accepted and wed
And in less than three months after
marrying
She broke chair over my head.
She kept me at work late and early,
And drove me around with will.
Said was a tramp and beggar,
And tarnal sight meaner than bill.
| began to think marriage a humbug,
And wished myself single once more,
Then she would come round mighty
clever,
And we would go on as before.
One day | drove up to the station
With loed of produce ] had sold,
Which brought big price in greenback,
But you couldn't get silver or gold,
With my pocket-book pretty well load
ed,
| was thinking how nice it would be
To be boss of the farm and money,
And not have a wife bossing me.
Two years had worked like a hero
Made money but still it want mine,
And thought if / ever got any,
1t seemed to me that was the time.
With these thoughts unhitched the
horses,
"A fine stylish bay and a brown
Bill Slocum had raised them and broke
them,
And they we're the finest in town.
| was just about turning them home
ward
When the train from the west hove
in sight;
| thought | would hold on moment
And hear from the last German night
From the train stepped black whisk-
cred fellow,
Rough booking with long, matted
hair;
As his eyes fell cn me and the horses,
He gave US wild, searching stare.
Then stepping up to me. said: Stranger,
Will you tell me which way your
bound?
When | told him, be climbed in beside
me,
Ard said that he guessed he'd ride
down.
| thought to myself he was cheeky,
But couldn't refuse him ride,
And wondered as off was driving,
Who the Dickens it was by my side.
Ere we left the out skirts of the
village.
He commenced asking questions of
me
In regard to the once widow Slocum-
II there was more youngsters then
three?
Said he heard the widow was married,
And ask me if was the chap,
If my wife wa right loving and tender
And all about this thing and that.
And while he was speaking | noticed
His eyes looked at me mighty queer,
And ii flashed to my brain in an in
slant,
Bill Slocum amt dead, but he's here;
And | thought I'D let him down easy,
For felt I'D embittered his life,
And | told him she'd incurred for Bill
SIocum
Eyer since I'D called her my wife.
That the young ones down there were
all Slocums,
Th,t intact she called me bad pill.
And she only allowed me to stay there
Because | looked so much like Bill,
That her tears had flown daily and
nightly.
That smile never lighted her face
For her sake | wish Bill was living
And | lay down there in his place.
As true as ! live he was sobbing,
The tears down his cheeks ran like
rain:
And, vow, / found | was bawling,
For | knew how he felt mighty plain.
Then turning to me he says; Stranger.
Your story has changed my whole
plan.
The Jealous revenge was nursing
Ia gone and | feel like 3 man.
Twill surprise you that | am Bill
Slocum,
But, nevertheless, IL is true;
IN about to lay claim to the widow,
But what's to become then, Of youf
like you because Of your candor,
And because she thinks you a bad
pill;
II you'd told me you knew that she
loved you,
You'd wished that you'd never met
Bill.