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James Whitcomb Riley - The Noble Old Elm
Work rating: Low

O big old tree, so tall an` fine,
    Where all us childern swings an` plays,
  Though neighbers says you`re on the line
    Between Pa`s house an` Mr. Gray`s,--
  Us childern used to almost fuss,
    Old Tree, about you when we `d play.--
  We`d argy you belonged to _us_,
    An` them Gray-kids the other way!

  Till _Elsie_, one time _she_ wuz here
    An` playin` wiv us--Don`t you mind,
  Old Mister Tree?--an` purty near
    She scolded us the hardest kind
  Fer quar`llin` `bout you thataway,
    An` say _she`ll_ find--ef we`ll keep still--
  Whose tree you air _fer shore_, she say,
    An` settle it _fer good_, she will!

  So all keep still: An` nen she gone
    An` pat the Old Tree, an` says she,--
  "Whose air you, Tree?" an` nen let on
    Like she`s a-list`nin` to the Tree,--
  An` nen she say, "It`s settled,--`cause
    The Old Tree says he`s _all_ our tree--
  His _trunk_ belongs to bofe your Pas,
    But _shade_ belongs to you an` me."
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