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James Whitcomb Riley - "Them Old Cherry Words"
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Pap he allus ust to say,
  "Chris`mus comes but onc`t a year!"
Liked to hear him that-a-way,
  In his old split-bottomed cheer
By the fireplace here at night--
Wood all in,--and room all bright,
Warm and snug, and folks all here:
"Chris`mus comes but onc`t a year!"

Me and `Lize, and Warr`n and Jess
  And Eldory home fer two
Weeks` vacation; and, I guess,
  Old folks tickled through and through,
Same as _we_ was,--"Home onc`t more
Fer another Chris`mus--shore!"
Pap `u`d say, and tilt his cheer,--
"Chris`mus comes but onc`t a year!"

Mostly Pap was ap` to be
  Ser`ous in his "daily walk,"
As he called it; giner`ly
  Was no hand to joke er talk.
Fac`s is, Pap had never be`n
Rugged-like at all--and then
Three years in the army had
Hepped to break him purty bad.

Never _flinched_! but frost and snow
  Hurt his wownd in winter. But
You bet _Mother_ knowed it, though!--
  Watched his feet, and made him putt
On his flannen; and his knee,
Where it never healed up, he
Claimed was "well now--mighty near--
Chris`mus comes but onc`t a year!"

"Chris`mus comes but onc`t a year!"
  Pap `u`d say, and snap his eyes ...
Row o` apples sputter`n` here
  Round the hearth, and me and `Lize
Crackin` hicker`-nuts; and Warr`n
And Eldory parchin` corn;
And whole raft o` young folks here.
"Chris`mus comes but onc`t a year!"

Mother tuk most comfort in
  Jest a-heppin` Pap: She`d fill
His pipe fer him, er his tin
  O` hard cider; er set still
And read fer him out the pile
O` newspapers putt on file
Whilse he was with Sherman--(She
Knowed the whole war-history!)

Sometimes he`d git het up some.--
  "Boys," he`d say, "and you girls, too,
Chris`mus is about to come;
  So, as you`ve a right to do,
_Celebrate_ it! Lots has died,
Same as Him they crucified,
That you might be happy here.
Chris`mus comes but onc`t a year!"

Missed his voice last Chris`mus--missed
  Them old cheery words, you know.
Mother belt up tel she kissed
  All of us--then had to go
And break down! And I laughs: "Here!
`Chris`mus comes but onc`t a year!"
"Them`s his very words," sobbed she,
"When he asked to marry me."

"Chris`mus comes but onc`t a year!"
  "Chris`mus comes but onc`t a year!"
Over, over, still I hear,
  "Chris`mus comes but onc`t a year!"
Yit, like him, I`m goin` to smile
And keep cheerful all the while:
_Allus_ Chris`mus _There_--And here
"Chris`mus comes but onc`t a year!"
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