The Idees of Abner Pease

“It beats all holler how the world

     Will take a man’s idees,

An’ not give credit for the same,”

     Said Uncle Abner Pease.

“Here I hev preached for forty year

     That farmin’ life’s the best;

That farmers folks are better off

     Than any uv the rest.”

“I’ve said it o’er an’ o’er ag’in,

     An’ told the reason why;

I’ve pictured it in glowin’ terms,

     An’ spread it fur an’ nigh.

I’ve ‘lowed the tillin’ uv the soil

     Wuz best fur all mankind;

An ‘ev’ry man around this town

     Says, ‘Hump’ an’ scratched his mind.

An’ now the pollerticians chaps,

     From Taft all down the line,

Are praisin’ farmin’ to the skies –

     That old idée of mine.

Beats all how big men uv the world

     Will steal a chap’s idees;

Next one I git I’m goin’ to keep,”

     Says Uncle Abner Pease.

March 1, 1910