You see, we tuk sich pride in John--his mother more'n
me--
That's natchurul; but BOTH of us was proud as proud
could be;
Fer the boy, from a little chap, was most oncommon
bright,
And seemed in work as well as play to take the same de-
light.
He allus went a-whistlin' round the place, as glad at heart
As robins up at five o'clock to git an airly start;
And many a time 'fore daylight Mother's waked me up
to say--
"Jest listen, David!--listen!--Johnny's beat the birds
to-day!"
High-sperited from boyhood, with a most inquirin' turn,--
He wanted to learn ever'thing on earth they was to learn:
He'd ast more plaguy questions in a mortal-minute here
Than his grandpap in Paradise could answer in a year!
And READ! w'y, his own mother learnt him how to read
and spell;
And "The Childern of the Abbey"--w'y, he knowed that
book as well
At fifteen as his parents!--and "The Pilgrim's Prog-
ress," too--
Jest knuckled down, the shaver did, and read 'em through
and through.
At eighteen, Mother 'lowed the boy must have a better
chance-
That we ort to educate him, under any circumstance;
And John he j'ined his mother, and they ding-donged and
kep' on,
Tel I sent him off to school in town, half glad that he was
gone.
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