Hiram Green’s Setters

“Just think uv it,” said Hiram Green,

     In Jones’ store today,

“Good hen’s aigs wuth four cents apiece,

     An’ wunt a durn hen lay.

Ef that won’t make a feller mad

     They’s nothin’ will, I swun;

I’ve done my best to make ‘em lay –

     Can’t git a single one.”

“They ain’t no reason in the world

     They shouldn’t lay right now,

Instead uv when they cost a cent

     Apiece or less, I vow.

They’re fed the same, an’ housed the same,

     An’ hev the same good care,

But there they set round in the sun,

     All day an’ wait fur fare.”

Bill Jones the grocer man spoke up,

     An’ Bill wuz allus dry,

“You say they set around all day

     An’ don’t do nothin’, Hi?

No wonder you don’t get no aigs,

     You couldn’t ‘spect to get;

How kin a hen ‘lay’ anyway

     When all she does is set?”

Oct. 21, ‘09