Thinkin’ It Over

Jed Wheeler, a feller, jest spent his hull life,

     A-thinkin’ it over an’ over;

He never proposed nor picked out a wife,

     Because he hadn’t thought it all over.

He never went fishin’ or nuthin’ like that,

He never’d played ball or stan’ up with a bat,

He said he would like tur do this or do that,

     An’ would, when he’d thought it all over.

Jed Wheeler thought summer an’ winter alike,

     Kep’ thinkin’ it over an’ over;

An’ any new blow he never would strike,

     Becuz, he hadn’t thought it all over.

He wouldn’t split wood which his father had sawed,

Nor carry the water his mother had drawed,

He wouldn’ dig paths till the snow wuz all thawed,

     Becuz he hadn’t thought it all over.

Jed Wheeler grew aged, his form wuz bent down,

     An’ still he kep’ thinkin’ it over;

He said he would travel, but never lef’ town,

     Becuz he hadn’t thought it all over.

So Jed wuz took sick, an’ when dyin’ he lay,

An’ the minister tel’ him tur say his las’ say,

He said he wisht Heaven would jest let him stay

     Until he hed thought it all over.

Nov. 2, 1894

Pub. in the

Boston Courier,

  May 19, 1895