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James Whitcomb Riley - Regardin` Terry Hut
Work rating: Low

Sence I tuk holt o` Gibbses` Churn
And be`n a-handlin` the concern,
I`ve travelled round the grand old State
Of Indiany, lots, o` late--!
I`ve canvassed Crawferdsville and sweat
Around the town o` Layfayette;
I`ve saw a many a County-seat
I ust to think was hard to beat:
At constant dreenage and expense
I`ve worked Greencastle and Vincennes--
Drapped out o` Putnam into Clay,
Owen, and on down thataway
Plum into Knox, on the back-track
Fer home ag`in-- and glad I`m back--!
I`ve saw these towns, as I say-- but
They`s none `at beats old Terry Hut!

It`s more`n likely you`ll insist
I claim this `cause I`m prejudist,
Bein` born`d here in ole Vygo
In sight o` Terry Hut--; but no,
Yer clean dead wrong--! And I maintain
They`s nary drap in ary vein
O` mine but what`s as free as air
To jest take issue with you there--!
`Cause, boy and man, fer forty year,
I`ve argied ag`inst livin` here,
And jawed around and traded lies
About our lack o` enterprise,
And tuk and turned in and agreed
All other towns was in the lead,
When-- drat my melts--! They couldn`t cut
No shine a-tall with Terry Hut!

Take even, statesmanship, and wit,
And ginerel git-up-and-git,
Old Terry Hut is sound clean through--!
Turn old Dick Thompson loose, er Dan
Vorehees-- and where`s they any man
Kin even hold a candle to
Their eloquence--? And where`s as clean
A fi-nan-seer as Rile` McKeen--
Er puorer, in his daily walk,
In railroad er in racin` stock!
And there`s `Gene Debs-- a man `at stands
And jest holds out in his two hands
As warm a heart as ever beat
Betwixt here and the Jedgement Seat--!
All these is reasons why I putt
Sich bulk o` faith in Terry Hut.

So I`ve come back, with eyes `at sees
My faults, at last--, to make my peace
With this old place, and truthful` swear--
Like Gineral Tom Nelson does--,
"They hain`t no city anywhere
On God`s green earth lays over us!"
Our city government is grand--
"Ner is they better farmin`-land
Sun-kissed--" as Tom goes on and says--
"Er dower`d with sich advantages!"
And I`ve come back, with welcome tread,
From journeyin`s vain, as I have said,
To settle down in ca`m content,
And cuss the towns where I have went,
And brag on ourn, and boast and strut
Around the streets o` Terry Hut!
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