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William Henry Drummond - Johnnie`s First Moose
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De cloud is hide de moon, but dere`s plain-
     tee light above,
Steady Johnnie, steady—kip your head down
     low,
Move de paddle leetle quicker, an` de ole canoe
     we`ll shove
          T`roo de water nice an` quiet
          For de place we`re goin` try it
          Is beyon` de silver birch dere
          You can see it lak a church dere
W`en we`re passin` on de corner w`ere de lilly
     flower grow.

Was n`t dat correc` w`at I`m tolin` you jus
     now?
Steady Johnnie, steady—kip your head down
     low,
Never min`, I`ll watch behin`— me — an` you
     can watch de bow
          An` you`ll see a leetle clearer
          W`en canoe is comin` nearer—
          Dere she is—now easy, easy,
          For de win` is gettin` breezy,
An` we don`t want not`ing smell us, till de
     horn begin to blow—

I remember long ago w`en ma fader tak` me out,
Steady Johnnie, steady—kip your head down
     low,
Jus` de way I`m takin` you, sir, hello! was
     dat a shout?
          Seems to me I t`ink I`m hearin`
          Somet`ing stirrin` on de clearin`
          W`ere it stan` de lumber shaintee,
          If it`s true, den yuo`ll have plaintee
Work to do in half a minute, if de moose don`t
     start to go.

An` now we`re on de shore, let us hide de ole
     canoe,
Steady Johnnie, steady—kip your head down
     low,
An` lie among de rushes, dat`s bes` t`ing we
     can do,
          For de ole boy may be closer
          Dan anybody know, sir,
          An` look out you don`t be shakin`
          Or de bad shot you`ll be makin`
But I`m feelin` sam` way too, me, w`en I
     was young, also—

You ready for de call? here goes for number
     wan,
Steady Johnnie, steady—kip your head down
     low,
Did you hear how nice I do it, an` how it 
     travel on 
          Till ir reach across de reever
          Dat`ll geev` some moose de fever!
          Wait now, Johnnie, don`t you worry,
          No use bein` on de hurry,
But lissen for de answer, it`ll come before you
     know.

For w`y you jomp lak dat? w`at`s matter wit`
     your ear?
Steady, Johnnie, steady-kip your head down
     low—
Tak` your finger off de trigger, dat was only
     bird you hear,
          Can`t you tell de pine tree crickin` 
          Or de boule frog w`en he`s spikin` ?
          Don`t you know de grey owl singin` 
          From de beeg moose w`en he`s ringin` 
Out hees challenge on de message your ole
     gran` fader blow?

You`re lucky boy to-night, wit` hunter man
     lak me!
Steady, Johnnie, steady-kip your head down
     low—
Can tole you all about it! H-s-s-h! dat`s 
     somet`ing now I see,
          Dere he`s comin` t`roo de bushes,
          So get down among de rushes,
          Hear heem walk! I t`ink, by tonder,
          He mus` go near fourteen honder!
Dat`s de feller I been watchin` all de evening,
     I dunno.

I`ll geev` anoder call, jus` a leetle wan or
     two,
Steady, Johnnie, steady-kip your head dwon
     low—
W`en he see dere`s no wan waitin` I wonder
     w`at he`ll do?
          But look out for here he`s comin` 
          Sa-pris-ti! ma heart is drummin`!
          You can never get heem nearer
          An` de moon is shinin` clearer,
W`at a fine shot you`ll be havin`! now
     Johnnie let her go!

Bang! bang! you got heem sure! an` he`ll
     never run away
Nor feed among de lily on de shore of Wes-
     sonneau,
So dat`s your firse moose Johnnie! wall! re-
     member all I say—
          Does n`t matter w`at you `re chasin`,
          Does n`t matter w`at you `re facin`,
          Only watch de t`ing you`re doin` 
          If you don`t, ba gosh! you `re ruin
An` steady, Johnnie, steady-kip your head 
     down low.
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