The log cabin Democrat., 1921-05-02
THE WOODS By DOUGLAS MALLCCH
RAIN.

IN All Knew IL would.
 When man has rheumatiz Tn this old left stem of his
 He can tell as good
 When it's go'n' to leak As your fancy weatherman Down here in Chicago can,
 If he thinks a week. An l guess it's jest because Rheumauz an Natures laws
 Sort of work together Lots of moisture in the air, hheumatiz a-plenty there, Both mean stormy weather This left stem of mine can smell Water miles away; This old stem of mine can tell Fifty furlongs from a we'll
 Where 1t ought to lay.
 An I'll tell you why: This old stem an me has tramped. Waded, swum an drove an camped. Never gittin dry. Forty Winters, forty Springs; Do you wonder thet she sings
 When she smells the water? If you fellahs really knew All that laig an me went through Guess you'd think she oughter. ~NN H44A ti lIdu ule LUCK Swampin' in the snow: None of you ain't never stuck To your boot-tops in the muck When it's ten below.
 There ain't none of you Ever drove the Chippeway In the early days of May
 When a norther blew, When the river water froze In your boots an in your clo'es- Freezin', thawin. freezin'. II this stem of mine finds out When there's water round about. Surely there's a reason. An, besides. there's quite . line Of such signs of rain; There is many another sign 'Ceptin this old stem of mine Thet is just as plain.
 There is bunions yet Fer corn CT bunion is Most as good as rheumatiz
 Prophesyin' wet When you see a cat eat grass, hen you see a small-mouth bass Sendin up bubble. When you hear a rairi-crow caw- It is simply Natures law
 1ndicatin' trouble. Rainin. is it? So it seems;
 It's a nasty night Wonder how the street lamp gleams!- Like the light you see in dreams, Soft an far an white.
 Like the light you see When you let lifes half-hitch slip, When you kind of lose your grip On the things thet be An I sometimes think the shore Thet we all are headin' for Looks so far an ghostly Cause we're lookin' Cike tonight We are lookin' at the lighO Through fog-bank mostly. How the asphalt pavements shine! Almost lookin' clean. Ev'ry lamp post makes a line Like the shadow of a pine On snowy scene.
 In the gutter nigh Little rtpples curl an comb Little dirty rivers foam,
 In an hour to die They are like the stream of life, Full of work an play an strife, Proud with splash an splutter. Each believes himself a flood Most of us is only mud
 Runnin' down a gutter Rainin'f Sure enough it is,
 But 1t ain't the goods; Doesn't git right down to biz Like the whirling raindrops whis Up there in the woods
 It's a city shower, Like the other kinds of stun In the city. mostly blun,
 Lastn' fer an hour Up there, when 1t rains, 1t rains, Ffllin' rivers. floodin' plains
 Down the mountains washin'. Up there when a rain We git, When we're really through with it Things are jest a-sloshin'. Fer rainstorm in the brush Is the wettest thing. Ground beneath you soft as mush An around you all hush.
 Not bird to sing
 Jest the droppin' slow or the raindrops on the leaves, Spillin' from a billion caves,
 On the earth below. Jest a blanket in the mire, Jest a srnudgy kind of fire.
 Weak an slow an smoky: Breakfast-pancakes simply lead; Dinner-wet an soggy bread:
 Supper-biscuits soaky. Rainin', Is It? So it is
 Glad I'm high and dry. When a man has rheumatis In this old left stem or his
 Keep inside, say l.
 Now. this city stun Amt like woods rain near as wet, Amt like woods rain Is, an yet It Is wet enough Course the woods rain Is the best 1t is dampest. healthiest,
 Better altogether But I guess I'll stay inside