I been t'inkin’‘ bout de preachah; whut he said de othah night,
‘ Bout hit bein’ people's dooty, fu’ to keep dey faces bright;
How one ought to live so pleasant dat ouah tempah never riles,
Meetin’ evahbody roun’ us wid ouah very nicest smiles.
Dat‘ s all right, I ai n't a-sputin’ not a t'ing dat soun's lak fac’,
But you do n't ketch folks a-grinnin’ wid a misery in de back;
An’ you do n't fin’ dem a-smilin’ w'en dey‘ s hongry ez kin be,
Leastways, dat‘ s how human natur’ allus seems to‘ pear to me.
We is mos’ all putty likely fu’ to have our little cares,
An’ I think we‘ se doin’ fus’ rate w'en we jes’ go long and bears,
Widout breakin’ up ouah faces in a sickly so't o’ grin,
W'en we knows dat in ouah innards we is p'intly mad ez sin.
Oh dey‘ s times fu’ bein’ pleasant an’ fu’ goin’ smilin’ roun’,
‘ Cause I do n't believe in people allus totin’ roun’ a frown,
But it's easy‘ nough to titter w'en de stew is smokin’ hot,
But hit's mighty ha'd to giggle w'en dey's nuffin’ in de pot.