The Home Book of Verse
Chapter 41 : The Raggedy Man--one time when he Was makin' a little bow-n'-orry fer me, Say

The Raggedy Man--one time when he Was makin' a little bow-n'-orry fer me, Says, "When you're big like your Pa is, Air you go' to keep a fine store like his-- An' be a rich merchunt--an' wear fine clothes?-- Er what air you go' to be, goodness knows?"

An' nen he laughed at 'Lizabuth Ann, An' I says "'M go' to be a Raggedy Man!-- I'm ist go' to be a nice Raggedy Man!"

Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!

James Whitcomb Riley [1849-1916]

THE MAN IN THE MOON

Said the Raggedy Man, on a hot afternoon, "My!

Sakes!

What a lot o' mistakes Some little folks makes on The Man in the Moon!

But people that's b'en up to see him, like me, And calls on him frequent and intimately, Might drop a few facts that would interest you Clean!

Through!-- If you wanted 'em to-- Some actual facts that might interest you!

"O The Man in the Moon has a crick in his back; Whee!

Whimm!

Ain't you sorry for him?

And a mole on his nose that is purple and black; And his eyes are so weak that they water and run If he dares to dream even he looks at the sun.-- So he jes' dreams of stars, as the doctors advise-- My!

Eyes!

But isn't he wise-- To jes' dream of stars, as the doctors advise?

"And The Man in the Moon has a boil on his ear,-- Whee!

Whing!

What a singular thing!

I know! but these facts are authentic, my dear,-- There's a boil on his ear; and a corn on his chin,-- He calls it a dimple--but dimples stick in-- Yet it might be a dimple turned over, you know!

Whang!

Ho!

Why, certainly so!-- It might be a dimple turned over, you know!

"And The Man in the Moon has a rheumatic knee,-- Gee!

Whizz!

What a pity that is!

And his toes have worked round where his heels ought to be.

So whenever he wants to go North he goes South, And comes back with porridge crumbs all round his mouth, And he brushes them off with a j.a.panese fan.

Whing!

Whann!

What a marvelous man!

What a very remarkably marvelous man!

"And The Man in the Moon," sighed the Raggedy Man, "Gits!

So!

Sullonesome, you know,-- Up there by hisse'f sence creation began!-- That when I call on him and then come away, He grabs me and holds me and begs me to stay,-- Till--Well! if it wasn't fer Jimmy-c.u.m-Jim, Dadd!

Limb!

I'd go pardners with him-- Jes' jump my job here and be pardners with him!"

James Whitcomb Riley [1849-1916]

LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE

Little Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay, An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs away, An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep, An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board an'-keep; An' all us other children, when the supper things is done, We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun A-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about, An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you Ef you Don't Watch Out!

Onc't they was a little boy wouldn't say his prayers-- An' when he went to bed at night, away up stairs, His Mammy heered him holler, an' his Daddy heered him bawl, An' when they turn't the kivvers down, he wasn't there at all!

An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an' cubby-hole, an' press, An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' ever'wheres, I guess; But all they ever found was thist his pants an' roundabout: An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you Ef you Don't Watch Out!

An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin, An' make fun of ever' one, an' all her blood-an'-kin; An' onc't when they was "company," an' ole folks was there, She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't care!

An' thist as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide, They was two great big Black Things a-standin' by her side, An' they s.n.a.t.c.hed her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about!

An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you Ef you Don't Watch Out!

An' little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue, An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo!

An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray, An' the lightnin'-bugs in dew is all squenched away,-- You better mind yer parents, an' yer teachers fond and dear, An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear, An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at cl.u.s.ters all about, Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you Ef you Don't Watch Out!

James Whitcomb Riley [1849-1916]

OUR HIRED GIRL

Our hired girl, she's 'Lizabuth Ann; An' she can cook best things to eat!

She ist puts dough in our pie-pan, An' pours in somepin' 'at's good an' sweet; An' nen she salts it all on top With cinnamon; an' nen she'll stop An' stoop an' slide it, ist as slow, In th' old cook-stove, so's 'twon't slop An' git all spilled; nen bakes it, so It's custard-pie, first thing you know!

An' nen she'll say, "Clear out o' my way!

They's time fer work, an' time fer play!

Take yer dough, an' run, child, run!

Er I cain't git no cookin' done!"

When our hired girl 'tends like she's mad, An' says folks got to walk the chalk When she's around, er wisht they had!

I play out on our porch an' talk To Th' Raggedy Man 'at mows our lawn; An' he says, "Whew!" an' nen leans on His old crook-scythe, and blinks his eyes, An' sniffs all 'round an' says, "I swawn!

Ef my old nose don't tell me lies, It 'pears like I smell custard-pies!"

An' nen he'll say, "Clear out o' my way!

They's time fer work, an' time for play!

Take yer dough, an' run, child, run!

Er she cain't git no cookin' done!"

Wunst our hired girl, when she Got the supper, an' we all et, An' it wuz night, an' Ma an' me An' Pa went wher' the "Social" met,-- An' nen when we come home, an' see A light in the kitchen door, an' we Heerd a maccordeun, Pa says, "Lan'-- O'-Gracious, who can her beau be?"

An' I marched in, an' 'Lizabuth Ann Wuz parchin' corn fer The Raggedy Man!

Better say, "Clear out o' the way!

They's time fer work, an' time fer play!

Take the hint, an' run, child, run!

Er we cain't git no courtin' done!"

James Whitcomb Riley [1849-1916]