"That band in there!--I ust to think 'at music couldn't wear
A feller out the way it does; but that ain't music there--
That's jes' a' _imitation_, and like ever'thing, I swear,
I hear, er see, er tetch, er taste, er tackle anywhere!

{86}

"It's all jes' _artificial_, this-'ere high-priced life of ours;
The theory, it's sweet enough, tel it saps down and sours.
They's no _home_ left, ner _ties_ o' home about it. By the powers,
The whole thing's artificialer'n artificial flowers!

"And all I want, and could lay down and sob fer, is to know
The homely things of homely life; fer instance, jes' to go
And set down by the kitchen stove--Lord! that 'u'd rest me so,--
Jes' set there, like I ust to do, and laugh and joke, you know.

"Jes' set there, like I ust to do," says Fluke, a-startin' in,
'Peared-like, to say the whole thing over to hisse'f ag'in;
Then stopped and turned, and kind o' coughed, and stooped
and fumbled fer
Somepin' o' 'nuther in the grass--I guess his handkercher.

Well, sence I'm back from Washington, where I left Fluke a-still
A-leggin' fer me, heart and soul, on that-air pension bill,
I've half-way struck the notion, when I think o' wealth and sich,
They's nothin' much patheticker'n jes' a-bein' rich!

{87}

[Illustration: "It's all jes' artificial, this-'ere high-priced life of
ours"]

{89}

[Illustration: Old chums--headpiece]

OLD CHUMS

"If I die first," my old chum paused to say,
"Mind! not a whimper of regret:--instead,
Laugh and be glad, as I shall.--Being dead,
I shall not lodge so very far away
But that our mirth shall mingle.--So, the day
The word comes, joy with me." "I'll try," I said,
Though, even speaking, sighed and shook my head
And turned, with misted eyes. His roundelay
Rang gaily on the stair; and then the door
Opened and--closed. . . . Yet something of the clear,
Hale hope, and force of wholesome faith he had
Abided with me--strengthened more and more.--
Then--then they brought his broken body here:
And I laughed--whisperingly--and we were glad.

{90}

[Illustration: Scotty--headpiece]

SCOTTY

Scotty's dead--Of course he is!
Jes' that same old luck of his!--
Ever sence we went cahoots
He's be'n first, you bet yer boots!
When our schoolin' first begun,
Got two whippin's to my one:
Stold and smoked the first cigar:
Stood up