Gungywamp Sympathy

Bill Becket wanted sympathy,

     Longed for it ev’ry day;

An so he tried to corral it

     In his pecooliar way.

He’d set around in Stokes Store,

     Complainin’ loud an’ long,

But no one seemed to listen to

     The burden of his song.

He said he had roomertiz

     So he could hardly walk;

He said he had parralsis

     So he could hardly talk.

He said he had the ague so

     He nearly shook apart;

An’ then he said the wust uv all

     He’d stoppage uv the heart.

An’ all the while he talked right well,

     An’ walked to beat the band;

An’ why he got no sympathy

     He couldn’t understand.

The more he talked the more they turned

     The subject other ways;

An’ that is how he spent his nights

     An’ nearly all his days.

Bill Becket finally caught cold,

     An’ hed a fearful cough;

An’ skurcely ‘fore they realized

His coughin’ took him off.

An’ all the while he hacked an’ coughed

     Each neighbor hed his doubt;

Bill didn’t git no sympathy

     Becuz he’d worn it out.

Feb. 22, 1912