Explore "Takin' Boarders" by Joseph C. Lincoln on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
_We'd_ never thought of takin' 'em, -- 't was Mary Ann's idee, -- / Sence she got back from boardin'-school she's called herself "Maree" / An' scattered city notions like a tom-cat sheds his fur. / She thought our old melodeon wa'n't good enough fer her, / An' them pianners cost so that she said the only way / Was ter take in summer boarders till we 'd made enough to pay; / So she wrote adver_tis_ements out to fetch 'em inter camp, / An' now there's boarders thicker here than June bugs round a lamp.
Our best front parlor'll jest be sp'iled; they h'ist up every shade / An' open all the blinds, by gum! an' let the carpet fade. / They're in there week days jest the same as Sunday; I declare, / I really think our haircloth set is showin' signs o' wear! / They set up ha'f the night an' sing, -- no use ter try ter sleep, / With them a-askin' folks ter "Dig a grave both wide an' deep," / An' "Who will smoke my mashum pipe? " By gee! I tell yer what: / If they want me to dig their graves, I'd jest as soon as not!