Page:Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley (Bobbs-Merrill, 1916) Volume 1.djvu/59

Rh Raked in two thousand dollars to boot As slick as a whistle, an' that wasn't all,— He managed to trade back ag'in the next fall,— And the next—and the next—as long as Smith stayed He reaped with his harvests an annual trade— Why, I reckon that Brown must 'a' easily made— On an average—nearly two thousand a year— Together he made over seven thousand— clear.— Till Mr. Smith found he was losin' his health In as big a proportion, almost, as his wealth; So at last he concluded to move back to town, And sold back his farm to this same Mr. Brown At very low figgers, by gittin' it down. Further 'n this I have nothin' to say Than merely advisin' the Smiths fer to stay In their grocery stores in flourishin' towns And leave agriculture alone—and the Browns. A-4