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James Whitcomb Riley - _Like His Mother Used To Make
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"Uncle Jake`s Place," St. Jo, Mo., 1874

"I was born in Indiany," says a stranger, lank and slim,
As us fellers in the restarunt was kindo` guyin` him,
And Uncle Jake was slidin` him another punkin pie
And a` extry cup o` coffee, with a twinkle in his eye.
"I was born in Indiany-- more`n forty year` ago--
I hain`t be`n back in twenty-- and I`m workin` back`ards slow;
But I`ve et in ever` restarunt `twixt here and Santy Fee,
And I want to state this coffee tastes like gittin` home, to me!"

"Pour us out another, Daddy," says the feller, warmin` up,
A-speakin` `cost a saucerful, as Uncle tuk his cup--,
"When I seed yer sign out yander," he went on, to Uncle Jake- -,
"`Come in and git some coffee like yer mother used to make`--
I thought of my old mother, and the Posey County farm,
And me a little kid ag`in, a-hangin` in her arm,
As she set the pot: a-bilin`, broke the eggs and poured `em in--"
And the feller kindo` halted, with a trimble in his chin:

And Uncle Jake he fetched the feller`s coffee back, and stood
As solemn, fer a minute, as a` undertaker would;
Then he sorto` turned and tiptoed to`rds the kitchen door-- and nex`,
Here comes his old wife out with him, a-rubbin` of her specs--
And she rushes fer the stranger, and she hollers out, "It`s him--!
Thank God we`ve met him comin`--! Don`t you know, yer mother, Jim?"
And the feller, as he grabbed her, says--, "You bet I hain`t forgot--
But," wipin` of his eyes, says he, "yer coffee`s mighty hot!"
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