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Edgar Guest - Cornered
Work rating: Low

I KNEW it was comin`, I`d watched fer a year 
Without sayin` a word to a soul excep` Ma 
Of the sweet sort o` things that were happenin` here,
An,` "You orter feel mighty glad of it, Pa!" 
Was all that she said. But I didn`t somehow, 
I`d a feelin` that only old men understand, 
I knew it was comin`. And it`s happened now! 
An` I answered yes, when he ast fer her hand.

I dodged him six weeks, now it`s done, I confess.
I contrived it so`s he`d never get me alone, 
I knew all the time that he wanted our Bess,
An` that he was eager to make his wants known. 
But he got me last night, passed me out a see-gar
An` while he was talkin` I looked at the band, 
I knew in my heart that he wouldn`t get far
Afore he`d get courage an` ask fer her hand.

An` I shook like a man with the ague, I guess,
Like a fellow must feel when they`ve doomed him to die, 
An` I didn`t look up when I answered him yes,
I was almost ashamed of the tears in each eye. 
He`s honest and clean, he`s a man through and through
An` as soon as I got my old heart in command, 
I said: "Since it must be, I am glad it is you,
I give you my best when I give you her hand."

I knew it was comin`. For months I could see
It was love that was lightin` those young people`s eyes, 
And so when he finally did corner me
I know what he said wasn`t any surprise. 
Now Ma`s kissin` `em both, then she`ll come out and cry,
An` tomorrow she`ll tell me it`s perfectly grand; 
Oh, happy young man, mebbe some day you`ll sigh 
When you`re asked to part with your little one`s hand.
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