Land for Sale

 

     Land For Sale.

 

 

“Why durn my skin,” said Eben Potts,

     One night in Stokes’s store

“This case in California State

     It ruther makes me sore.

They say they do not want to sell

     Land to the Japanese.

Wall, I suppose thet they kin do

     Eggsactly ez they please,

 

“But they ain’t like us folks round here

     In good ol’ Gungy town;

We wanter build the ol’ town up

     Insted uv run it down.

I ain’t well read ez Bryan is,

     Nur Johnson, I ’callate;

But I know somethin’ ez to how

     To sail the Ship uv State.

 

I know we’ve got a lot of land,

     Out west ez well ez here,

Thet ain’t a-bringin’ no returns,

     Nur never will I fear,

Unless some people buys it up

     An’ works it ez they should;

Land settin’ mud a-dryin’ up

     Ain’t doin’ no one good.

 

So ef them Jappers wanter buy

     Some farmin’ land o’ me

All they hev got to do is show

     The money, yes sir-ee.

I’ll sell ’em all the land they want

     An’ sell it to ’em low;

I think them Californy folks

     Are purty dog-gone slow.”

 

May 5, 1918.

                           Sent May 6, 1913

 

(Guessing it was written on May 5, 1913?)