A leetle closter ter the stove; thet thar

Jerainyum looks jessif ’twas fros’ bit now.

Yew look like yew was tew,” he sez, an’ grinned.

“I be,” I sez, “behind, but barbecued

In front.”

An’ then I mentioned cazhool like

The war a-hangin’ ov’r us. Bill kep’ still

At first, ’n’ I let ’im; then bimeby, julluk

He’s talkin’ tew ’isself, he sez reel grave,

“Ef’t comes, ’twill be the genooinest war