see dat lake? Wall! I alway hate
To brag--but she 's full of trout."]

It 's wonderful place for sure, Charmette,
An' ev'ry wan say to me--
I got all de pleasure de man can get
'Cept de wife an' de familee--
But somebody else can marry ma wife,
Have de familee too also,
W'at more do I want, so long ma life
Was spare to me here below?

For we can't be happier dan we been
Over twenty year, no siree!
An' if ever de stranger come between
De leetle Charmette an' me,
Den all I can say is, kip out de way,
For dynamite sure I 'll get,
An' affer dat you can hunt all day
For me an' ma dear Charmette.

[Illustration: Border]

Lac Souci

Talk about lakes! dere 's none dat lies in
Laurentide mountain or near de sea,
W'en de star 's gone off an' de sun is risin',
Can touch w'at dey call it Lac Souci,
Restin' dere wit' de woods behin' her,
Sleepin' dere t'roo de summer night--
But watch her affer de mornin's fin' her,
An' over de hill-top shine de light.

See w'ere de shadder sweep de water,
Pine tree an' cloud, how dey come an' go;
Careful now, an' you 'll see de otter
Slidin' into de pool below--
Look at de loon w'en de breeze is ketch heem
Shakin' hese'f as he cock de eye!
Takes a nice leetle win' to fetch heem,
So he 's gettin' a chance to fly.

Every bird dey mus' kip behin' heem
W'en he 's only jus' flap de wing,
Ah! dere he 's goin'--but never min' heem,
For lissen de robin begin to sing--
Trout 's comin' up too!--dat 's beeg rise dere,
Four of dem! Golly! it 's purty hard case,
No rod here, an' dey 're all good size dere!
Don't ax me not'ing about de place.

No use nobody goin' murder
T'ree an' four pounder lak dat, siree!
Wall! if you promise it won't go furder
I 'll tole you nex' summer--bimeby--mebbe--
W'at is dat movin' among de spruce dere?
Sure as I 'm livin' dere 's 'noder wan too--
Offen enough I 'm gettin' a moose dere,
Non!--it 's only a couple of caribou.

Black duck so early? See how dey all come,
Wan leetle family roun' de ben'--
Let dem enjoy it, wait till de fall come,
Dey won't be feelin' so happy den!
Smoke on de mountain? Yass, I can smell her--
Who is it now, Jean Bateese Boucher?
Geev' me some tam, an' I 'll feex dat feller
Shootin' de moose on de summer day.

W'at do you t'ink of