A Black Hills Episode

A little, warty, dried-up sort O' lookin' chap 'at hadn't ort A ben a-usin' round no bar, With gents like us a-drinkin' thar! And that idee occurred to me The livin' minit 'at I see The little cuss elbowin' in To humor his besettin' sin. There 're nothin' small in me at all, But when I heer the rooster call For shugar and a spoon, I says: "Jest got in from the States, I guess." He never 'peared as if he heerd, But stood thar, wipin' uv his beard, And smilin' to hisself as if I'd been a-givin' him a stiff. And I-says-I, a edgin' by The bantam, and a-gazin' high Above his plug—says I: "I knowed A little feller onc't 'at blowed Around like you, and tuck his drinks With shugar in—and his folks thinks He's dead now—'cause we boxed and sent The scraps back to the Settlement!"

The boys tells me, 'at got to see His modus operandum, he Jest 'peared to come onjointed-like Afore he ever struck a strike! And I'll admit, the way he fit Wuz dazzlin'—what I see uv hit; And squarin' things up fair and fine, Says I: "A little 'shug' in mine!"