Our Hired Girl

Our hired girl, she's 'Lizabuth Ann;An' she can cook best things to eat!She ist puts dough in our pie-pan,An' pours in somepin' 'at's good and sweet,An' nen she salts it all on topWith cinnamon; an' nen she'll stopAn' stoop an' slide it, ist as slow,In th' old cook-stove, so's 'twon't slopAn' git all spilled; nen bakes it, soIt's custard pie, first thing you know!An' nen she'll say:"Clear out o' my way!They's time fer work, an' time fer play!--Take yer dough, an' run, Child; run!Er I cain't git no cookin' done!"

When our hired girl 'tends like she's mad,An' says folks got to walk the chalkWhen she's around, er wisht they had,I play out on our porch an' talkTo th' Raggedy Man 'at mows our lawn;An' he says "Whew!" an' nen leans onHis old crook-scythe, and blinks his eyesAn' sniffs all around an' says,--"I swawn!Ef my old nose don't tell me lies,It 'pears like I smell custard-pies!"An' nen he'll say,--"'Clear out' o' my way!They's time fer work an' time fer play!Take yer dough, an' run, Child; run!Er she cain't git no cookin' done!'"

Wunst our hired girl, one time when sheGot the supper, an' we all et,An' it was night, an' Ma an' meAn' Pa went wher' the "Social" met,--An' nen when we come home, an' seeA light in the kitchen-door, an' weHeerd a maccordeum, Pa says "Lan'--O'Gracious! who can her beau be?"An' I marched in, an' 'Lizabuth AnnWuz parchin' corn fer the Raggedy Man!Better say"Clear out o' the way!They's time fer work, an' time fer play!Take the hint, an' run, Child; run!Er we cain't git no courtin' done!'"