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James Whitcomb Riley - How It Happened
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I got to thinkin` of her--both her parents dead and gone--
  And all her sisters married off, and none but her and John
  A-livin` all alone there in that lonesome sort o` way,
  And him a blame old bachelor, confirmder ev`ry day!
  I`d knowed `em all from childern, and their daddy from the time
  He settled in the neighborhood, and had n`t ary a dime
  Er dollar, when he married, far to start housekeepin` on!--
  So I got to thinkin` of her--both her parents dead and gone!

  I got to thinkin` of her; and a-wundern what she done
  That all her sisters kep` a gittin` married, one by one,
  And her without no chances--and the best girl of the pack--
  An old maid, with her hands, you might say, tied behind her back!
  And Mother, too, afore she died, she ust to jes` take on,
  When none of `em was left, you know, but Evaline and John,
  And jes` declare to goodness `at the young men must be bline
  To not see what a wife they `d git if they got Evaline!

  I got to thinkin` of her; in my great affliction she
  Was sich a comfert to us, and so kind and neighberly,--
  She `d come, and leave her housework, far to be`p out little Jane,
  And talk of _her own_ mother `at she `d never see again--
  Maybe sometimes cry together--though, far the most part she
  Would have the child so riconciled and happy-like `at we
  Felt lonesomer `n ever when she `d put her bonnet on
  And say she `d railly haf to be a-gittin` back to John!

  I got to thinkin` of her, as I say,--and more and more
  I`d think of her dependence, and the burdens `at she bore,--
  Her parents both a-bein` dead, and all her sisters gone
  And married off, and her a-livin` there alone with John--
  You might say jes` a-toilin` and a-slavin` out her life
  Far a man `at hadn`t pride enough to git hisse`f a wife--
  `Less some one married _Evaline_, and packed her off some day!--
  So I got to thinkin` of her--and it happened thataway.
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