Explore "Armazindy" by James Whitcomb Riley on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Armazindy; -fambily name / _Ballenger_,-you'll find the same, / As her Daddy answered it, / In the old War-rickords yit,- / And, like him, she's airnt the good / Will o' all the neighborhood. - / Name ain't down in _History_,- / But, i jucks! it _ort_ to be! / Folks is got respec' fer _her_- / Armazindy Ballenger! - / 'Specially the ones 'at knows / Fac's o' how her story goes / From the start: -Her father blowed / Up-eternally furloughed- / When the old "Sultana" bu'st, / And sich men wuz needed wusst. -
Armazindy, 'bout fourteen- / Year-old then-and thin and lean / As a killdee,-but-_my la! _- / Blamedest nerve you ever saw! / The girl's mother'd _allus_ be'n / Sickly-wuz consumpted when / Word came 'bout her husband. -So / Folks perdicted _she'd_ soon go- / (Kind o' grief _I_ understand, / Losin' _my_ companion,-and / Still a widower-and still / Hinted at, like neighbers will! ) / So, app'inted, as folks said, / Ballenger a-bein' dead, / Widder, 'peared-like, gradjully, / Jes grieved after him tel _she_ / Died, nex' Aprile wuz a year,- / And in Armazindy's keer / Leavin' the two twins, as well / As her pore old miz'able / Old-maid aunty 'at had be'n / Struck with palsy, and wuz then / Jes a he'pless charge on _her_- / _Armazindy Ballenger_.