Complete Poetical Works

The Spelling Bee at Angel's

(REPORTED BY TRUTHFUL JAMES)

Waltz in, waltz in, ye little kids, and gather round my knee,

And drop them books and first pot-hooks, and hear a yarn from me.

I kin not sling a fairy tale of Jinnys* fierce and wild,

For I hold it is unchristian to deceive a simple child;

But as from school yer driftin' by, I thowt ye'd like to hear

Of a "Spelling Bee" at Angels that we organized last year.

It warn't made up of gentle kids, of pretty kids, like you,

But gents ez hed their reg'lar growth, and some enough for two.

There woz Lanky Jim of Sutter's Fork and Bilson of Lagrange,

And "Pistol Bob," who wore that day a knife by way of change.

You start, you little kids, you think these are not pretty names,

But each had a man behind it, and--my name is Truthful James.

There was Poker d**k