Old Aunt Mary's (AKA "Out To Old Aunt Mary's")

Wasn't it pleasant, O brother mine,     In those old days of the lost sunshine     Of youth - when the Saturday's chores were through,     And the "Sunday's wood" in the kitchen too,     And we went visiting, "me and you,"     Out to Old Aunt Mary's?     It all comes back so clear to-day!     Though I am as bald as you are gray -     Out by the barn-lot, and down the lane,     We patter along in the dust again,     As light as the tips of the drops of the rain,     Out to Old Aunt Mary's!     We cross the pasture, and through the wood     Where the old gray snag of the poplar stood,     Where the hammering "red-heads" hopped awry,     And the buzzard "raised" in the "clearing" sky     And lolled and circled, as we went by     Out to Old Aunt Mary's.     And then in the dust of the road again;     And the teams we met, and the countrymen;     And the long highway, with sunshine spread     As thick as butter on country bread,     Our cares behind, and our hearts ahead     Out to Old Aunt Mary's.     Why, I see her now in the open door,     Where the little gourds grew up the sides and o'er     The clapboard roof! And her face - ah, me!     Wasn't it good for a boy to see -     And wasn't it good for a boy to be     Out to Old Aunt Mary's?     The jelly - the Jam and the marmalade,     And the cherry and quince "preserves'' she made!     And the sweet-sour pickles of peach and pear,     With cinnamon in 'em, and all things rare!     And the more we ate was the more to spare,     Out to Old Aunt Mary's!     And the old spring-house in the cool green gloom     Of the willow-trees, and the cooler room     Where the swinging-shelves and the crocks were kept -     Where the cream in a golden languor slept     While the waters gurgled and laughed and wept -     Out to Old Aunt Mary's.     And O my brother, so far away,     This is to tell you she waits to-day     To welcome us: Aunt Mary fell     Asleep this morning, whispering"Tell     The boys to come!" And all is well     Out to Old Aunt Mary's.