To Jotham Briggs that it seemed to him
That muscle nowadays was slim,
For he said he’d stood there quite a length,
Seein’ folks whang at the “test your strength,”
And there wasn’t a one in all that spell
Who’d hit a crack that had tapped the bell.
And pa talked loud and he sassed the crowd,
And the crowd sassed pa, and he allowed
He’d show ’em what; and so old Jote
Just held his hat and his vest and coat;