Oklahoma Sunshine Part 19

Mistah Cotton.

Mistah Cotton come toh me In de young spring-time, En he say, say he toh me, "Sambo, bet yuh dime, Dat you'll never pick dat patch!

Dat I'll fool yuh c.r.a.p, Fer de weeds'll make a catch En de bolls'll drap!"

Den I chase him up en down, En I take his bet; Chop dat cotton clar toh town; How dis n.i.g.g.ah sweat!

En I plow him sho'ly fine,-- Wo'k him day en night, En de fust t'ing, how he s.h.i.+ne Wid de rows ob white!

Mistah Cotton, doan't yuh t'ink Yuh kin fool me now; I'll dis pick yuh quick es wink,-- Lemme show yuh how!

Pile yuh in de wagon-bed, Sell yuh, ting a ling!

How de silvah-dallahs spread Dat sweet song dey sing!

Don't use a telescope to discover your neighbor's faults. Even the sun has a few spots, but it would be a cold day for you without the glory of his s.h.i.+ne.

Hear the Song.

I

There are dark and gloomy corners full of sorrow, like as not, But the world is glad with music and it carols everywhere; And if now and then a shadow dwells upon a little spot, There is suns.h.i.+ne on the meadows and the wide ways laugh at care.

O, my children! Don't you worry, As you go along; Let your life be glad and cheerful And you'll hear the Song!

II.

As we wander down the valleys where the griefs of life a.s.sail, We will find a few obstructions that are heaping in the road; But with feet that never weary and with hearts that never quail, We shall mount the glory-summits to the Summer-lands' abode.

O, my children! Don't you weary As you go along; Climb the path-ways to the hill-tops, And you'll hear the Song!

III.

You will bend beneath the burdens as you meet the toils of life, And your arms will ache a little as you labor down the way; But the rest of G.o.d's perfection waits beyond the bitter strife And He crowns the souls that struggle with His Everlasting Day!

O, my children! Don't you murmur, As you go along; Look above to G.o.d's Anointed, And you'll hear the Song!

Caught on the Fly.

When Love leaves life, Laughter packs up her things and gets ready to move.

When Hope dies in the heart, all its poor relations refuse to remain for the funeral services.

The people who are all the time trying to manage other people should remember that though Providence created Man in His own image, it has been unable to manage him ever since.

"When Canderdates Git After Pa."

When canderdates git after Pa, Set up seegars, an' tell him flat How big a man he is, and Ma How good she cooks, an' all of that, I slip aroun' an' let 'em know I'm something on the homestead, too, Fer onct upon a time or so They'll hand a nickel out fer you!

When they come here, it's mighty fine!

Pa stops the team, an' work we quit An' them there fellere stays to dine An' talk the day-lights outen it!

They tell us how the gover'ment Is goin' on, an' quote the law An' tell their choice fer president, When canderdates git after Pa!

An' then they'll brag about his farm; How fine his hogs an' hosses air; How slick his cattle, till my arm Gits tired at all the jollies there!

An' then they tell Ma she's a peach, A honey-lulu without flaw, A angel fur beyond their reach, When canderdates git after Pa.

When after dinner they hitch up He sends me out to feed the shoats, An' then they drink with nary cup An' talk about the towns.h.i.+p votes; An' after they git gone, Pa he Has got a breath that's orful raw; But I tell you it's nuts to me When canderdates git after Pa!

Don't Worry.

O, brother, don't you worry,-- Don't you sob or sigh; Just soak yourself with suns.h.i.+ne And let the world go by!

What matters all, my brother.

The world may do or say?

For you and I outlive the sky And it lives but a day!

Keep at work, my brother; Keep at work I say!

There's not a cosy corner For lazy ones that play; And as through life you labor And gladly jog along, Just soak yourself with suns.h.i.+ne And fill your heart with song!

Little Sermons.

If Heaven is too far away for you to reach out and shake hands with it, there is something wrong with your conduct.