Explore "Erasmus Wilson" by James Whitcomb Riley on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
'Ras Wilson, I respect you, 'cause / You're common, like you allus was / Afore you went to town and s'prised / The world by gittin' "reckonized," / And yit perservin', as I say, / Your common hoss-sense ev'ryway! / And when that name o' yourn occurs / On hand-bills, er in newspapers, / Er letters writ by friends 'at ast / About you, same as in the past, / And neghbors and relations 'low / You're out o' the tall timber now, / And "gittin' thare" about as spry's / The next! -- as _I say_, when my eyes, / Er ears, lights on your name, I mind / The first time 'at I come to find / You -- and my Rickollection yells, / Jest jubilunt as old sleigh-bells -- / "Ras Wilson! Say! Hold up! and shake / A paw, fer old acquaintance sake.! "
My _Rickollection_, more'n like, / Hain't overly too apt to strike / The what's-called "cultchurd public eye" / As wisdom of the deepest dye, -- / And yit my _Rickollection_ makes / So blame lots fewer bad mistakes, / Regardin' human-natchur' and / The fellers 'at I've shook theyr hand, / Than my _best jedgemunt's_ done, the day / I've met 'em -- 'fore I got away, -- / 'At -- Well, 'Ras Wilson, let me grip / _Your_ hand in warmest pardnership!