Stanzas CI–CV

CI
And yit he'd be the last man out
to flop his wings and crow
Insultin'-like, and strut about
above his fallen foe!--
No-sir! the hand 'at tuk the wind
out o' their sails 'ud be
The very first they grabbed, and grinned
to feel sich sympathy.

CII
Doc gits off now and then and takes
a huntin'-trip somewhere
'Bout Kankakee, up 'mongst the lakes--
sometimes'll drift round there
In his canoe a week er two;
then paddle clean on back
By way o' old Wabash and Blue,
with fish--all he kin pack,--

CIII
And wild ducks--some with feathers on
'em yit, and stuffed with grass.
And neighbers--all knows he's bin gone--
comes round and gits a bass--
A great big double-breasted "rock,"
er "black," er maybe pair
Half fills a' ordinary crock....
Doc's fish'll give out there

CIV
Long 'fore his ducks!--But folks'll smile
and blandish him, and make
Him tell and tell things!--all the while
enjoy 'em jes fer sake
O' pleasin' him; and then turn in
and la'nch him from the start
A-tellin' all the things ag'in
they railly know by heart.

CV
He's jes a child, 's what Sifers is!
And-sir, I'd ruther see
That happy, childish face o' his,
and puore simplicity,
Than any shape er style er plan
o' mortals otherwise--
With perfect faith in God and man
a-shinin' in his eyes.

TAMÁM.