“’S a pretty good night fer coons; so still

Yer kin hear yer heart when yer’ve clum up hill.”

I sensed what he meant, so I flaxed around,

An’ in less ’n no time we was out on the trail.

Bill’s houn’ dawg, ol’ Jess, was sniffin’ the ground

Pertendin’ tew ax, “Is it ’possum or quail?”

Tho’ she knowed well enough thet a Hunter’s Moon

Don’t never mean nuthin’ ’cept ’possum or coon.

I’ve heerd tell o’ moonlights on earth here an’ thar,

In Venice, an’ down in ol’ Rome’s Colyseum;