big words kep’ a-landin’,
  Till me an’ Nettie Gray was left, the only ones a-standin’,
  An’ then my inward strife began—­I guess my mind was petty—­
  I did so want that spellin’-book; but then to spell down Nettie
  Jest sort o’ went ag’in my grain—­I somehow could n’t do it,
  An’ when I git a notion fixed, I ‘m great on stickin’ to it. 
  So when they giv’ the next word out—­I had n’t orter tell it,
  But then ’t was all fur Nettie’s sake—­I missed so’s she could spell it. 
  She spelt the word, then looked at me so lovin’-like an’ mello’,
  I tell you ‘t sent a hunderd pins a shootin’ through a fello’. 
  O’ course I had to stand the jokes an’ chaffin’ of the fello’s,
  But when they handed her the book I vow I was n’t jealous. 
  We sung a hymn, an’ Parson Brown dismissed us like he orter,
  Fur, la! he ‘d learned a thing er two an’ made his blessin’ shorter. 
  ‘T was late an’ cold when we got out, but Nettie liked cold weather,
  An’ so did I, so we agreed we ’d jest walk home together. 
  We both wuz silent, fur of words we nuther had a surplus,
  ’Till she spoke out quite sudden like, “You missed that word on purpose.” 
  Well, I declare it frightened me; at first I tried denyin’,
  But Nettie, she jest smiled an’ smiled, she knowed that I was lyin’. 
  Sez she:  “That book is yourn by right;” sez I:  “It never could be—­
  I—­I—­you—­ah—­” an’ there I stuck, an’ well she understood me. 
  So we agreed that later on when age had giv’ us tether,
  We ‘d jine our lots an’ settle down to own that book together.

KEEP A-PLUGGIN’ AWAY

  I ’ve a humble little motto
  That is homely, though it ’s true,—­
    Keep a-pluggin’ away. 
  It’s a thing when I ’ve an object
  That I always try to do,—­
    Keep a-pluggin’ away. 
  When you ’ve rising storms to quell,
  When opposing waters swell,
  It will never fail to tell,—­
    Keep a-pluggin’ away.

  If the hills are high before
  And the paths are hard to climb,
    Keep a-pluggin’ away. 
  And remember that successes
  Come to him who bides his time,—­
    Keep a-pluggin’ away. 
  From the greatest to the least,
  None are from the rule released. 
  Be thou toiler, poet, priest,
    Keep a-pluggin’ away.

  Delve away beneath the surface,
  There is treasure farther down,—­
    Keep a-pluggin’ away. 
  Let the rain come down in torrents,
  Let the threat’ning heavens frown,
    Keep a-pluggin’ away. 
  When the clouds have rolled away,
  There will come a brighter day
  All your labor to repay,—­
    Keep a-pluggin’ away.

  There ’ll be lots of sneers to swallow,
  There ’ll be lots of pain to bear,—­
    Keep a-pluggin’ away. 
  If you ’ve got your eye on heaven,
  Some bright day you ’ll wake up there,—­
    Keep a-pluggin’ away. 
  Perseverance still is king;
  Time its sure reward will bring;
  Work and wait unwearying,—­
    Keep a-pluggin’ away.