I have jest about decided
It‘ ud keep a town-boy hoppin’
Fer to work all winter, choppin’
Fer a’ old fire-place, like I did!
Lawz! them old times wuz contrairy!—
Blame backbone o’ winter,‘ peared-like,
Would n't break!— and I wuz skeerd-like
Clean on into Febuary!
Nothin’ ever made we madder
Than fer Pap to stomp in, layin’
On a’ extra fore-stick, sayin’
“Groun'hog' s out and seed his shadder!”