ain't by itself in dat.

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IN HARNESS

Dat flee-bitten mule an' my bay mare
In de hay-wagon, sho is a mixtious pair;
But dey's pulled so long th'ough wind an' weather
Dat out in de field dey graze together.
An' dey ain't by deyselves in dat, in dat--
An' dey ain't by deyselves in dat.

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THE CANARY

De little yaller cage-bird preems 'is wings
An' he mounts 'is pyerch an' sings an' sings;
He feels 'is cage, but I s'pec' he 'low
To take what comes an' sing _anyhow_!
An' you ain't by yo'self, little bird, in dat--
No, you ain't by yo'self in dat.

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ANSWERING BACK

Br'er Pole-cat's got a s'ciety smile
An' he sho is dressed in scrumptious style,
But he keeps 'is own hat off de quality rack
By de scan'lous way he answers back.
But he ain't by 'isself in dat, in dat--
But he ain't by 'isself in dat.

[Illustration]

DAT'S DE WAY MY LADY'LL DO

It ain't how many eyes you got,
'Les' needles could see an' potatoes, too;
An' "hookin' a' eye," as like as not,
Would be classed as a sin dat no lady'd do.
But it's keepin' yo' eyes turned to'des de right,
An' to'des de wrong jes' shettin' 'em tight--
Lookin' out for ways to be polite--
Dat's de way my lady'd do!

It ain't how many ears you got
Dat makes you listen an' learn an' do;
Else a hill o' corn in a garden plot
Would be 'way ahead o' me an' you;
But it's shettin' yo' ears to heartless speech,
An' listenin' whilst de teachers teach,
An' strivin' to practise mo' 'n to preach--
Dat's de way my lady'll do!

It ain't how many tongues you got,
'Les' shoes would talk an' wagons, too;
An' all de bells would gabble a lot,
An' tattle an' brag de long day th'ough;
But it's gyardin' yo' tongue f'om talk dat's wrong,
An' passin' a helpful word along,
An' maybe singin' a hopeful song--
Dat's de way my lady'll do!

[Illustration]

THE MAMMY ALLIGATOR

Said de mammy alligator, wid a motherly grin:
"I nuver liked babies wid dey dimples tucked in,
But our little pet, wid its horny hide,
Like its mammy's an' its daddy's, is de fam'ly pride."
An' dey ain't by deyselves in dat, in dat--
An' dey ain't by deyselves in dat.

[Illustration]

THE NEW RICH

Sis' Mush A. Roon s