Volume 10 — ONCL' ANTOINE ON 'CHANGE

BY WALLACE BRUCE AMSBARY

(Antoine Boisvert, Raconteur.)

I've jus' com' from Chicago town, A seein' all de sights From stockyard to de ballet gairl, All drass' in spangled tights. But all de worstes' nonsens' T'roo vich I got to wade, I t'ink de t'ing dat gats de cake Ees place called Board of Trade. I heard moch talk about dem chap Dey call de Bull an' Bear, Dat play aroun' with price of stock An' get you unaware. Who'll tell you w'at your wheat Will bring in Fevuary nex', In jus' so smood an' quiet vay De curé read his tex'. An' dere dey vere out on de floor, De mans who mak' de price Of all de country produce, A lookin' smood an' nice. But dey had vink opon dere eye Dat look you t'roo an' t'roo, Like tricky bunko steerer ven He's hunting after you. Dey got de ball to roll ver' swif' An' firs' fall from de dock Vas bottom off on July pork; An' heem dat held de stock Commence to hiss an' wriggle Lak' a yellow rattlesnake; De res' buzz jus' lak' bumblebee Stirred op vit hayin' rake. Dis bottom off on July pork Is strike me kin' of queer, I's t'ink dat hogs is good for eat Mos' all of de 'hole year. Dose feller on Chicago town Is mak' such fonny phrase Dat—entre nous—I sometimes t'ink Dat som' of dem ees craz'. Den dere ees somet'ing happen Dat mak' 'em more excite', W'en news ees com' overe de vires Dat Boer an' Britain fight, I nevere saw such meex-op yet, In days since I be born, Dey scowl an' call wan nodder names, Dere faces show moch scorn. Wan man grow wild an' mos'ly craz', De tears stream off his eyes, Dere's nodder man dat's laf an' shout, It's mak' me mos' surprise. I guess it mak' som' differance Vich side you're on de fence, But in dis Bear an' Bull meex-op I see not ver' moch sense.