They was God’s people, Uncle says,
    An’ gloried in His name,
  An’ worked, without no selfishness,
    An’ loved their neighbers same
  As they was kin:  An’ when they biled
    Their tree-molasses, in the Spring,
  Er butchered in the Fall, they smiled
    An’ sheered with all jist ever’thing!—­

* * * * *

[Illustration:  “THEY WAS GOD’S PEOPLE.”]

* * * * *

      The good, old-fashioned people—­
      The hale, hard-working people—­
      The kindly country people
        ’At Uncle used to know!

  He tells about ’em, lots o’ times,
    Till we’d all ruther hear
  About ’em than the Nurs’ry Rhymes
    Er Fairies—­mighty near!—­
  Only sometimes he stops so long
    An’ then talks on so low an’ slow,
  It’s purt’-nigh sad as any song
    To listen to him talkin’ so
      Of the good, old-fashioned people—­
      The hale, hard-working people—­
      The kindly country people
        ’At Uncle used to know!

* * * * *

THE BEST TIMES

[Illustration]

  When Old Folks they wuz young like us
  An’ little as you an’ me,—­

[Illustration]

  Them wuz the best times ever wuz
  Er ever goin’ to be!

* * * * *

[Illustration:  “THEM WUZ THE BEST TIMES EVER WUZ.”]

* * * * *

“HIK-TEE-DIK!”

THE WAR-CRY OF BILLY AND BUDDY

[Illustration]

  When two little boys—­renowned but for noise—­
    Hik-tee-dik!  Billy and Buddy!—­
  May hurt a whole school, and the head it employs,
    Hik-tee-dik!  Billy and Buddy! 
  Such loud and hilarious pupils indeed
  Need learning—­and yet something further they need,
  Though fond hearts that love them may sorrow and bleed. 
    Hik-tee-dik!  Billy and Buddy!

  O the schoolmarm was cool, and in no wise a fool;
    Hik-tee-dik!  Billy and Buddy! 
  And in ruling her ranks it was her rule to rule;
    Hik-tee-dik!  Billy and Buddy! 
  So when these two pupils conspired, every day,
  Some mad piece of mischief, with whoop and hoo-ray,
  That hurt yet defied her,—­how happy were they!—­
    Hik-tee-dik!  Billy and Buddy!

  At the ring of the bell they ’d rush in with a yell—­
    Hik-tee-dik!  Billy and Buddy! 
  And they’d bang the school-door till the plastering fell,
    Hik-tee-dik!  Billy and Buddy! 
  They’d clinch as they came, and pretend not to see
  As they knocked her desk over—­then, My! and O-me!
  How awfully sorry they’d both seem to be! 
    Hik-tee-dik!  Billy and Buddy!