John Alden And Percilly.

We got up a Christmas-doin's             Last Christmas Eve -         Kindo' dimonstration             'At I railly believe         Give more satisfaction -             Take it up and down -         Than ary intertainment             Ever come to town!         Railly was a theater -             That's what it was, -         But, bein' in the church, you know,             We had a "Santy Clause" -         So 's to git the old folks             To patternize, you see,         And back the institootion up             Kindo' morally.         Schoolteacher writ the thing -             (Was a friend o' mine),         Got it out o' Longfeller's             Pome "Evangeline" -         Er some'rs - 'bout the Purituns - .             Anyway, the part         "John Alden" fell to me -             And learnt it all by heart!         Claircy was "Percilly" -             (Schoolteacher 'lowed         Me and her could act them two             Best of all the crowd) -         Then - blame ef he didn't             Git her Pap, i jing! -         To take the part o' "Santy Clause,"             To wind up the thing.         Law! the fun o' practisun! -             Was a week er two         Me and Claircy didn't have             Nothin' else to do! -         Kep' us jes a-meetin' round,             Kindo' here and there,         Ever' night rehearsin'-like,             And gaddin' ever'where!         Game was wo'th the candle, though! -             Christmas Eve at last         Rolled around. - And 'tendance jes             Couldn't been surpassed! -         Neighbors from the country             Come from Clay and Rush -         Yes, and 'crost the county-line             Clean from Puckerbrush!         Meetin'-house jes trimbled             As "Old Santy" went         Round amongst the childern,             With their pepperment         And sassafrac and wintergreen             Candy, and "a ball         O' popcorn," the preacher 'nounced,             "Free fer each and all!"         Schoolteacher suddently             Whispered in my ear, -         "Guess I got you: - Christmas-gift! -             Christmas is here!"         I give him a gold pen,             And case to hold the thing, -         And Claircy whispered "Christmas-gift!"             And I give her a ring.         "And now," says I, "jes watch me -         Christmas-gift," says I,         "I'm a-goin' to git one -         'Santy's' comin' by!" -         Then I rech and grabbed him:         And, as you'll infer,         'Course I got the old man's,         And he gimme her!