jS»n£dro % ^SacUcx^td^ by JOHN J. EBERHARDT 4, s v, # =N ~^ r -\^t^^\^y - i t w" v -' UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 00022085645 THE GAMMANS POETRY COLLECTION In Memory of GEORGE H. GAMMANS, II Class of 1940 First Lieutenant Army Air Corps Distinguished Service Cross Missing in Action January 15, 1943 THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA LIBRARY J CJlKlbu^/ lioilf vga \o mi © mi y Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hil http://www.archive.org/details/lanesoladlandOOeber by — — * boIiil ill woAarct=^ — To my Lovin' Wife — 'Bout my Laughm' Boy- Jes' for you! H. WOOD Chief Illustrator Published by The Goldsmith- Woolard Publishing Co. Wichita, Kansas Meat lo/ d /Allies l> fbi^>il5 to mind 1 N' scampers of to Gadoid llake m/ boat"" W sail auia/ . ~1b life uk2(2 little lsb d Sadlana £fr*ftW< " xrifrmaxLJxi playful Mood , h<2 \au&h _ f 'N' lompsT arowiL' in QTaJ/and 1 Iokz 1o loaf _ <$o vkt fitt& *fc>cxf- qoez ttf&o {tab a 7 I I When a Wee little thought From the Heart of a child "Pops" out— It keeps — Us all— BROAD-SMILED Buddy's Prayer Dear Lord — Please make me a good little boy 'N keep me sweet-tempered 'n kind, Then 'twont be so hard — when Mother says things — For wee little me to mind; I want to be — ist Like Daddy — I do — So grow me up — big 'n strong — N' I wish't — you'd please — keep Donald fr'm yellin' " Yaall Yaa!. f, 'at me — All — Day — long? v\»^lfi A True Love Story I guess you're too tired to kiss me goodnight You have played so hard today? No! No! Mother Dear — I'm not too tired I could kiss — to You — all day. Remorse My Mother's awful good to me, She never gets real mad; I b'leeve I'll hang aroun', till dark, So's not to make her sad. I wish I could contain myself But I — jes' get — so riled, When games of ours get goin' good That I turn — Injun Wild? Dad otta punish me tonight — He otta make me hurt, 'Cause I — jes pom — pom-pullaway'd, Both sleeves off — my new shirt. Easy? Ef you re so smart — jes an- swer this? 'N make it short 'n snappy — Is a/at boy happy because he's fat Er fat — because — he's happy? — Courtesy " The Prism." Griddle Cakes ; n Maple Syrup Said Mother to Billy, of Griddle cake fame, "I wouldn't dare let you eat Another cake — 'cause that would be Explosively indiscreet?" 'Well! mebby it will be powerful risky An' dangerous (as you say) But, gimme another — /'// take a chance — 'N you c'n git out o' the way?" Ruint Once a wee boy had his tonsils removed And when he "Came to" he said, To his Mother — Dear — a-watching close by With hand on his feverish head — "Where am I at — I'd like to know?" An' then, in words child-fluent, "Don't ever ask me to swaller again," "Oh, Mother!! I'm jes' ruint." " Spring Fever Quite often — when I'm studyin' hard- I ketch myself a-wishin' Th't Ben 'n Bill 'n Bob 'n me Were at the crick — a-flshin' — d olf Temptation F got three Aunts that 'r kinda fat — My Mother's plumpish, too — 'N the way they dodge real honest food Jes laughs me — roun' 'n through; It makes our Cook jes flghtin' mad., —This "DIET REDUCIN' JEST"— 'Cause she can't — keep nothin hid — enny more, F'r meals— IN OUR ICE CHEST? Eat It? When my clean face gits all smeared up, Ma says, "How kin you bear it?" I say, "Your jam's so awful good, I kinda likes to— WEAR IT?" Wealthy When Ma takes out a nickel 'n spends it all on me I'm jes 's proud 'n happy as a little girl c'n be, It sure feels fine n' dandy to walk along — alone — A-holdin' to a paper bag of candy— ALL MY OWN. Big Joy Th' other night my Daddy said — While talkin' to Aunt "Liz"— I b'leeve my boy's the greatest joy That ever wuz or is; The's nothin' sweeter — nothin' cuter In the Whole Wide WorV Than chubby-grinny-Boy O' Mine 'Cept — jes — Our Little Girl. Wet Feet While Mother doesn't like it — It feels "excitin' nice" To scuff along the gutter Bustin' through the crackly ice. 13 Castor Oil I tried to take it (hold it down) 'Cause Mother said I should But when I said, "There goes my Bear," I did the best I could. I'll never have a minute's rest, Nor will I care to play 'Til that Blue Bottle of Caster Oil "Is broke 'd and ' frewn away" {A big, brown Teddy Bear had been offered as a Medicine bribe?) His First Haircut When Bobby had his hair cut off His mother had to hide Her face — fer ist a minute — (I kinda think she cried?) I saw her kiss his dimpled knee 'N' — nen I heard her say, "I'm ist 'bout broken hearted" " 'Cause my Baby's growd away." — Insurance Field. The Reason Saucy little dandelion Grows — 'n grows — 'n grows — So that little girl can wear a Butter Yellow Nose. Friendly Three little freckles 'n a sunburn Snoopin' down our street When my little girl comes home tonight They'll be on her hands 'n feet. Perpetual Motion When my little girl with cheeks aglow Comes romping home from town, She Hippety-Hoppeties up the hill And she Hippety-Hoppeties down; And when I say to my little boy, "I have an errand for you" He says, "ALL RIGHT," then he hippety-hops Till he Hippety-Hopps it through. — Bookfellows Anthology, 1926. The Play Band Gimme the bell — said little "C. C," An' you play you're the singer, An' you play the horn, An' you play the drum, An' Til be the Big Ding Dinger. Then 'round n' 'round the room we'll march, An' make the loudest noises, 'Cause — Mother claims Th't racket was grow'd Fer wee little girls an' boyses. — The Insurance Magazine. 16 His First Love? Each year they giv me dolls galore Till I don't never want no more But of all — the Dolls — of East er West I still luv "Humty Dumty" best. He lets me talk 'n Sing 'n Play 'N never has a thing to say. He's soft 'n Chummier 'n the rest That's why — I s'pose — I love him best. He's jes a homemade stockin' toy But Say! he suits this little boy An' while one leg's wored off, right there, Th' ain't no better "pal" nowhere. At night when Mother tucks me in, She sez: "Now, w'en your dreams begin, W'ich chum d'you want?" I say: "O jest Throw me oP Humty, he's The Best." (He was used so affectionately and constantly for pillow, bedmate and footrest that now — says Humty Dumty — "I'm all wored out with love.") The Highwayman Jes' look at sassy sparrow A-bobbin' all around A-pesterin' up a robin Who's peckin' at the ground. Each time the Robin Redbreast Pulls out a wigglin' worm The sparrow steals a "snatch bite" Of breakfast, all a-squirm. 17 When God . Made He Made ?oi'%ynwl£$ 316 /Trees The New Hammer I'm the Little Boy Bad who lives — guess you know — In that new little — white little — Bungalow. My Mother — she's ist bin scoldin' me hard, She has — right out in our own front yard, But Daddy, he grinned n' patted my head N' he holded Ma's hand — n-n-nen earnestly said: "By Golly! he suits me — he s full o' Pep." I 'ist drove six nails in our front door step? 19 Circumstantial Evidence There stood — "Wee Wee" — with chocolate tracks All over her cheeks 'n nose, Said her Mother: "Merpy!!" "Where do you 'spose" "So much of our candy — goes??" This truthfully trustful answer came back — In wrinkledy brow delay — "I don't — Believe — I hardly — know — "Guess the vind — must o' blow'd it avay?" 'N little "Wee Wee" — was quite very old Before she learned to know Why her mother Had hugged her So quivering close For— "IMAGINATIONING" SO. "Mother Dear" My love fer you is 's deep 's a well — It isn't FER TRADE 'n it isn't TO SELL- It'd pop right out of a pumpkin shell — Fer I love you more th'n tongue c'n tell. Our Minister's Boy's Ambition I'M got a chum Who's gonna be THE PRESIDENT— ef he can But when VM big I want to be The one legged popcorn man. The Expert My Gram'pa 's sure a knowin' chum, He 'predates my joys, I 'bleeve he knows 's much 's I do — 'Bout — Little — Boys — ? Sometimes I look right in his eyes Without — even — blinkin' N' nen he tells me — Honestly!!! The things — I — bin thinkin'? N' ever' now n' then he says: 'I see you're one o' those" 'Who c'n wash y'r face three times a day" 'N-n-n-n-n never WET y'r nose." Moods My Daddy's good enough by day, Fer that's the time of boisterous play, ^ r " - - - BUT - - - When evenin' comes — somehow er other- I ALWAYS— KINDA— WANTS MY MOTHER? 23 5A> Yellin' Happy Q* coui^e lm ijelliri happy. ft lit" U)fidf~do X nQ&tr ? 'Kids oikrr £if""c2xc7fed Mv/ nervos > piauiri Tczapfto 1 _ f(2UEl_ QU3fJT_qii(Z(2r_ _ La one moi'g^ dcMvk/ _ "Ec, . _ CkiSkti m .M<2#<2 _ 2 4 What I'd Do I sometimes wisht that I wuz my Ma; You betcha I'd know what to do Ef my little girl — corned home — real late, A-wearin' one stockin' — one shoe. I wouldn't care — much — how dirty she wuz- Ner — notice the jagged ol' rip That made a big flap on her bran new dress Reach clear to a quiverin' lip: Ef she slammed the door, n' rushed right in, With mussedy uppedy hair — N' it hurted clear down to the Deep 0' My Hearty I'd p'tend — I didn' care. Do y' think I would — well — I jes' wouldn' Take her to task — er scold her. I'd brush all the stockin's n' mendin' right off" O' My Lap — so's I could hold her. N' I wouldn't speak o' the Lateness o' Time, I'd think — jes how I'd miss her — -%> :£ ^c 4 s 4* ♦ Ef it happened — she never — corned — home— at — all N' I'd grab her— n' hug her— n' KISS HER. — Braithwaite' s Anthology of Magazine Verse, 1926. 25 Our New Minister When he came to our house — th' other day- We children — all — ist runned away, 'Cause we don't like to hafta be Asked questions — by "Company"! But soon our hunger herded us back, Prepared — n' eager — to dodge the attack; N' all of us — had — the biggest su'prise When he — "turned on" — his two big eyes. 'Cause — c'n you believe it? — the stories he told Ist happened to be our own years old? He even — could tell — 'bout "Swimmin' Holes" N' didn't say nothin' 'bout savin' our souls. Why — he never hinted at nothin' we hate To hear about (like stayin' up late?) N' purty soon we wuz listenin' hard — He'd ketched us, all — clean offn' our guard. N' I reckon he knew it — too — fer his eyes Ist twinkled n' sparkled — a-showin' how wise A Preacher c'n be — a-findin' the way To a little boy's heart — 'thout haffin' to pray. An' when he drove off — the werry next day, My Mother — she laughed — a-hearin' me say: "Why, he c'n tell stories ist great — he can," "He ain't a real Preacher, he's a REAL MAN." 26 Playmates Said sweet little Mary To Grandmother Dear, "I like you! I love you! I'm glad you're right here." "Mos' all o' my playmates Seem older 'n me 'N somehow we can't Jes' always agree." "But G'amma — when I — Stand pattin' y'r knee I bubble all over With comf table glee." " 'N I love you a million times Gooder n' gold 'Cause you're jes e'zactly My own years old." BigO nes, loo I'd like to be a Elephant Paradin' up the street A-gettin' all the softness comin' Up through four bare feet. Obeg— "Instantly?" I couldn't drop my chalk n' come Down stairs "this very Minute 1 ' Fer my policeman's trouser leg Was draw'd — with nothin in it. He'd " 'rest" me fer neglect — er — p'rhaps He'd say — "Here! Little Sinner," Don't leave me standin' on one leg" While you re a-eatin' dinner." I tell you little boyses have Big troubles of their own" So, when you feel like scoldin' em? Well — you Jes' leave 'em 'lone? The Old Sandpile — American Magazine Winter Wen my room's icy cold an' I dive in, a-lone, To a fluffy featherbed Mother buyed me fer my own, I jes' roll up in a little j at ball 'N' I ain't a bit cold, purty soon — atall. oummer Ma makes me wear Pajamas? Well! That's a'wright! But — Shaw!! At times — when she ain't lookin' — I jes jump right in — Raw. — The Step Ladder. 29 Chummates Me n' "Rove" jes' love to roam — That's lots gooder'n stayin' home; Mighty comfertin' to be Rompin' playmates — him n' me. Ef you've got a friend who'll do Almost enny thing fer you Then you'll know how good it feels To have a dog right at your heels. 'Member well when Mother died — Rover stayed right by my side, Wagged his tail n' rubbed my knee — Showin' — human — sympathy. Friends tried awf'lly hard to say Things to brush my tears away; But Rover sat with tilted head 'N whimpered more than all they said. I ist grabbed him — hugged him tight, Nen runned away — clean out o' sight. Somepin' moved, clost by my side N' licked my hand — (n-n-nen — we — cried — ) 3° His big eyes were full o' love As twinkles 'round the stars above; Never know'd — until that day — How much a dog could "look n say." Betcher life the' ain't no man Kin love a boy like Rover can; Hope your boy knows how it feels To have a chumdog chew his heels. — Oregon Teachers Monthly. 31 lation .onso Sometimes Ma makes me go to bed — fer bein' kinda bad?? But somehow — I don'no jes' why — it never makes me mad!! I guess it's 'cause — when room gits dark — I peep way out n' see A million little Sparkle Bugs a-twinklin' stars at me; They "flashlight up" my little mind, then, thoughts n' pictures great Make up fer pleasures lost, because — I couldn't stay up late?? N' while I miss my Mother's kisses — miss her lovin' hugs I'm thankful that no one kin "turn — the lights off" — Lightning Bugs. Busy Hands I washed 'em both at half past five An' now 'tis but six-thirty — ? HOW ? f&P > ? In an Hour ? ? Can one Little Boy ? ? Get two little hands so dirty? 32 Jbolors JL e) ansa t. .in sorr/ f(2p ^ggL ®JK lad , ore- moli 1 iS&fe. onH' ra- il always bp / ^^^"liiir ( spic ft spanj ^ax only wife ley . 'tf rajfd ^^^^^1lJSK,lflioiiis ■iltG ^Q^lfefej o' <£ood rick nrad HooziitllnoicSk kifloes? 33 Rebellion My Mother's quite pernickety — The' ain't no time er place — She thinks — fer Bill er Bob er me To have a dirty face. But Bad's a "Reg'lar Feller" — He b'longs to my own race, So fur's he's concerned — he says "Dirt — don't — bring no disgrace." I hate to waste good playin' time A-scrubbin' face 'n fists, N' I jes' wish they'd stop discoverin' Rings around my wrists? But — say!!! when I gits grow'd up (I kinda half suspec') No little boy o' mine '11 ever Hafta wash his neck. Folks must o' bin lots diff'rent Er Daddy's memory's bad — When tellin' 'bout the things he did When he wuz jes' a lad. 'Cause: ain't no boys I knows of — So fer 's I c'n see — That's livin' up to expectations, Daddy has on me? I know 'em all, in this here town, There's some mistake — because The' ain't no kinda boys 'round here LIKE DADDY SAYS HE WAS. 34 Fingerprints I saw — yesternight — what you'd love to see — Right there — on your front stair wall? 'N while they might pester some folks mos' to death They didn't "mad me up" — at all. Fer I love the wee FOOTPRINTS that wabble across The front porch — the yard — 'er the rugs — And as— fer the— FINGERPRINTS— there on your wall, They're tickets — fer kisses 'n hugs. I said — as I spied 'em — "God Bless 'em" (your boys )> They were up stairs "goin' to sleep"? But I knew — from the static a-fillin' the rooms? Their "sleep thoughts" were hardly knee deep. Thought I — to myself — I pray that real soon That great, big, Hulk of a Dad? May come home — Play clown — May rough house aroun' With wee ones — "Wantin' him — Bad." {To the Daddy of "Three Little Brother Boys" — up at Mayo's.) 35 They wuz Bakin' 'n' Fryin' 'n' "Cookyin'," too, N' I wuz thist watchin' 'em (wantin' to chew — 'Cause chillens mos' alius get eager to eat When things begin smellin' up — cookin' up — sweet?). I said to my G'amma, I kinda believe When Santa Claus comes — on Christmas eve — He'll be 'bout 's hungry's you would be Ef you'd — droved Rein- deers — far as he A-happyin' up — wee girlies n' boys A-givin' 'em popcorn — candy — n' toys, 36 Not stoppin' fer nothin' — 'cept jes fer to peep At children — excited — all dreamful 0' sleep. 'Nen I added: Please cut off — a piece of that dough And make a few cookies fer Santy — to show That one little friend — a-livin' out West — Knows jes' what'll fit his appetite best? So my G'amma, she maded some crisp cookies, small, N' the dough wasn't missed (that we borrowed) at all; It's funny whenever you do what you should Th't you never miss nothin you use — "DOIN' GOOD." N' I said to the cookies — a-pattin' 'm sweet, "WHO DO YOU STOSE YOU'RE GONNA MEET?" "You're the luckiest cookies that ever grew — I wish — tonight — th't I c'd be you." 'Nen I packed 'em all in my little tin cup 'N when Santa Claus corned— HE EATED 'EM UP? So you needn't tell me — th't he never comes 'Cause we couldn't — find nothin' — — Nex' day — BUT THE CRUMBS. — The Kansas City Star. 37 Table Habits Our Daddy — grabs fer the daily paper Then settles down n' reads 'N Ma she sputters 'cause Benjamin Franklin Swallers the cherry seeds. 'N Billy — our boy o' "Big bite" fame P'tends to dodge Ma's frown When she ketches him drinkin' water To "Swash" his food jams down? When Dorothy — gets forgetful She rests her chin on her hands; But jes why Jimmy does ^wr'thing wrong Nobody understands. The's one thing — inexcusable 'N it — sure — makes — Ma — sore, It's when I scrape all the crumbs I make Right off — on the clean swept floor. We try — awful hard — to carry out — The "Orders" we git — but shaw!!! The's a funny thing — 'bout our house We' t: "blow out" bright star light ? I know some things when I know 'em — 'n' I know 'em all by heart, (Still I don't make no housetop claims 'bout bein' extra smart) So I've got my own idees, 'n' Billie Smart has his I still believe there's a Santa Claus Because I believe there is. He says: This big ol' World of ours is flat — it isn't round ? That when the moon comes up at night it busts right thru the ground? He knows the' ain't no Fairies — says the' nev- er was a Sprite? BUT YOU NER HIM NER NO ONE ELSE KIN MAKE ME BLEEVE HE'S RIGHT So Bill kin keep on bleevin' just what he wants to bleeve 'Bout good old Santa — "GOLDEN RULIN' 'ROUND" on Christ- Eve. 'N' when he yells at me — "TAINT SO!" You bet I sass back — "TisJ" 'Cause I know there is a Santa Claus — be- cause, well 'CAUSE THERE IS. — Powergrams. « 'TPTC i>» TIS Forecast ty/e/z the afoy *& c/arr* (y S/aC/xz. Sonars 6 ' aw/rucss my cfaecrms ~jfc afes/roy, SRoY&c/s s/n/lc yoc& ctoxry a (Peruse -$ay3 ene.1 yfr/s-t/ay tye// Wa&/e or /oti~ of dctf/e/iicr on. oi"~ Wen -/& oz//- ALO/rxe ova //titff ■■« mmmmmfwmm mmmmmf 44 Excitement They were bubblin' all over With laughter an' fun: Why shouldn't they show their joys? They were headed for school — 'Twas rainin' — some— An' they were the "Dinner Pail" boys. Be Patient If Mother only knew how much — Her grouchin' scoldin's hurt us I know she'd spend a heap more time — A-schemin' to — divert us. O' course she squanders hours n' hours A-slavin' — hard — to serve us — An' — I suppose, our noisy play Does — make her — kinda nervous? But, here's the question: Was it right To punish playful Mary Jes' 'cause Bill riled — Ma's temper up A-bein' — plain — contrary ? You bet I'd think at least three times Before I'd BUST OUT SCOLDIN', When jes' — 'bout all — most children need Is— lots more— LOVETIGHT HOLDIN'. 45 ^^of/ProMe^ 1 dcfto idighz m^1nin6x all &o ? "InG^ Keep m© liirnte. Iri< V loai. \4n! noui ITiVil (2nn/iDli(2re ?? 4 6 0Offl(3im<2K ly<2ll:~ Ma !'. tunei^s to /lidf" ?' # V ©ays si©:- 'N'Hnen I dafffapouiT iant more ^^ 4foor ?? — 7^ t