The Noble Old Elm

O big old tree, so tall an' fine,         Where all us childern swings an' plays,      Though neighbers says you're on the line         Between Pa's house an' Mr. Gray's, -      Us childern used to almost fuss,         Old Tree, about you when we 'd play. -      We'd argy you belonged to us,         An' them Gray-kids the other way!      Till Elsie, one time she wuz here         An' playin' wiv us - Don't you mind,      Old Mister Tree? - an' purty near         She scolded us the hardest kind      Fer quar'llin' 'bout you thataway,         An' say she'll find - ef we'll keep still -      Whose tree you air fer shore, she say,         An' settle it fer good, she will!      So all keep still: An' nen she gone         An' pat the Old Tree, an' says she, -      "Whose air you, Tree?" an' nen let on         Like she's a-list'nin' to the Tree, -      An' nen she say, "It's settled, - 'cause         The Old Tree says he's all our tree -      His trunk belongs to bofe your Pas,         But shade belongs to you an' me."