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William Henry Drummond - Pioneers
Work rating: Low

If dey `re walkin` on de roadside, an` dey `re bote in love togeder,
    An` de star of spring is shinin` wit` de young moon in between,
  It was purty easy guessin` dey `re not talkin` of de wedder,
    W`en de boy is comin` twenty, an` de girl is jus` eighteen.

  It’s a sign de winter’s over, an` it’s pleasan` hear de talkin`
    Of de bull-frog on de swamp dere wit` all hees familee--
  But it’s lonesome doin` not`ing, an` dere’s not moche fun in walkin`,
    So we fin` some fence dat’s handy for mese`f an` Rosalie.

  An` I dunno how it happen, w`en her head come on ma shoulder,
    An` her black eye on de moonlight, lak de star shine--dat’s de way.
  (Mebbe it’s becos de springtam) so I ketch her han` an` tole her
    Of how moche I `d lak to tak` her on some contree far away.

  Den she say, I’ll mak` an offer, if you `re sure you want to tak` me
    On de place I dunno w`ere--me--you mus` pay beeg price, Jo-seph.
  You can carry me off to-morrow, so I’m never comin` back--me--
    But you’ll lose upon de bargain, for de price I want`s you`se`f."

  I was purty good for tradin`, mebbe tak` it from ma fader,
    For de ole man’s alway tryin` show me somet`ing dat was new--
  But de trade I mak` dat evenin` wit` poor Rosalie, I rader
    Not say not`ing moche about it, dough it’s bes` I never do.

  So we settle on de reever wit` de bush for miles behin` us--
    Here we buil` de firse log shaintee, only me an` Rosalie--
  Dat’s de woman help her husban`! an` w`en winter come an` fin` us
    We was ready waitin` for heem jus` as happy as could be.

  Bar`l o` pork an` good potato, wan or two oder t`ing too
    Leetle w`isky, plaintee flour, an` wood-pile stannin` near--
  Don`t min` de hardes` winter, an` fat enough in spring too--
    De folk dat’s comin` handy w`en you want de contree clear!

  Rosalie, you see her outside on de porch dere wit` her knittin`--
    Yass, of course I know she’s changin` since de day she marry me--
  An` she’ll never sit no more dere on de fence lak leetle kitten--
    She `d be safer on a stone wall, but she’s still ma Rosalie.

  All alone: de neares` shaintee, over ten mile down de reever--
    An` might be only yesterday, I’member it so well--
  W`en I’m comin` home wan morning affer trappin` on de beaver,
    An` ma wife is sayin`, "Hurry, go an` fetch Ma-dame Labelle."

  If you `re stan`in` on de bank dere, you mus` t`ink I’m crazy feller
    By de way I work de paddle, an` de way canoe she go--
  But Ma-dame know all about it, an` I never need to tell her,
    An` we jus` get back in tam` dere for welcome leetle Joe.

  Dat’s de way dem woman’s doin` for help along each oder,
    For Pierre Labelle he’s comin` now an` den for Rosalie--
  Of course dere’s many tam too, dey got to be godmoder--
    An` w`en dey want godfader, w`y dere’s only Pierre an` me.

  Twenty year so hard we’re workin`, twenty year reapin`, sowin`,
    Choppin` tree an` makin` portage, an` de chil`ren help us too--
  But it’s never feelin` lonesome w`ile de familee is growin`,
    An` de cradle seldom empty, an` we got so moche to do.

  Den w`en all de work is finish, w`at dey `re callin` de surveyor
    He’s comin` here an` fin` us, an` of course so well he might--
  For it’s easy job to foller, w`en de road is lyin` dere,
    So blin` man he can walk it wit` hees eyes closed, darkes` night.

  An` de nex` t`ing dere’s a township, an` de township bring de taxes,
    An` it’s leetle hard on us too, dat’s way it seem to me--
  An` de Gover`ment, I s`pose dey’ll never t`ink at all to ax us
    For de small account dey `re owin` mese`f an` Rosalie.

  So we’ll see de beeg procession very soon come up de reever--
    Some will settle on de roadside, some will stay upon de shore--
  But de ole place we be clearin`, I don`t t`ink we’ll never leave her,
    Dough we’re all surroun` by stranger an` we’re
          in de worl` wance more.
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