A Summer Pastoral

It's hot to-day. The bees is buzzin'     Kinder don't-keer-like aroun'     An' fur off the warm air dances     O'er the parchin' roofs in town.     In the brook the cows is standin';     Childern hidin' in the hay;     Can't keep none of 'em a workin',     'Cause it's hot to-day.     It's hot to-day. The sun is blazin'     Like a great big ball o' fire;     Seems as ef instead o' settin'     It keeps mountin' higher an' higher.     I'm as triflin' as the children,     Though I blame them lots an' scold;     I keep slippin' to the spring-house,     Where the milk is rich an' cold.     The very air within its shadder     Smells o' cool an' restful things,     An' a roguish little robin     Sits above the place an' sings.     I don't mean to be a shirkin',     But I linger by the way     Longer, mebbe, than is needful,     'Cause it's hot to-day.     It's hot to-day. The horses stumble     Half asleep across the fiel's;     An' a host o' teasin' fancies     O'er my burnin' senses steals,--     Dreams o' cool rooms, curtains lowered,     An' a sofy's temptin' look;     Patter o' composin' raindrops     Or the ripple of a brook.     I strike a stump! That wakes me sudden;     Dreams all vanish into air.     Lordy! how I chew my whiskers;     'Twouldn't do fur me to swear.     But I have to be so keerful     'Bout my thoughts an' what I say;     Somethin' might slip out unheeded,     'Cause it's hot to-day.     Git up, there, Suke! you, Sal, git over!     Sakes alive! how I do sweat.     Every stitch that I've got on me,     Bet a cent, is wringin' wet.     If this keeps up, I'll lose my temper.     Gee there, Sal, you lazy brute!     Wonder who on airth this weather     Could 'a' be'n got up to suit?     You, Sam, go bring a tin o' water;     Dash it all, don't be so slow!     'Pears as ef you tuk an hour     'Tween each step to stop an' blow.     Think I want to stand a meltin'     Out here in this b'ilin' sun,     While you stop to think about it?     Lift them feet o' your'n an' run.     It ain't no use; I'm plumb fetaggled.     Come an' put this team away.     I won't plow another furrer;     It's too mortal hot to-day.     I ain't weak, nor I ain't lazy,     But I'll stand this half day's loss     'Fore I let the devil make me     Lose my patience an' git cross.