Page:Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley (Bobbs-Merrill, 1916) Volume 1.djvu/54

 WHAT SMITH KNEW ABOUT FARMING

HERE wasn't two purtier farms in the state

Than the couple of which I'm about to relate;—

Jinin' each other—belongin' to Brown,

And jest at the edge of a flourishin' town.

Brown was a man, as I understand,

That alius had handled a good 'eal o' land,

And was sharp as a tack in drivin' a trade—

For that's the way most of his money was made.

And all the grounds and the orchards about

His two pet farms was all tricked out

With poppies and posies

And sweet-smellin' rosies;

And hundreds o' kinds

Of all sorts o' vines,

To tickle the most horticultural minds;

And little dwarf trees not as thick as your wrist

With ripe apples on 'em as big as your fist:

And peaches—Siberian crabs and pears

And quinces—Well! any fruit any tree bears;

And the purtiest stream—jest a-swimmin' with fish

And—jest a'most everything heart could wish!

The purtiest orch'rds—I wish you could see

How purty they was, fer I know it 'ud be

A regular treat!—but I'll go ahead with

My story! A man by the name o' Smith— 34