Beloved Songs, & Poems

Sally called me the other day and asked if I had a copy of the poem Vacation Time that Gramma Jones recited. I thought it might be nice to publish it and two other favorites here for any who don't know them.

This is one song that I loved to hear Mom sing. It made me cry (still does) and yet I would beg her to sing it again. I never got tired of hearing her sing it. {I still ask Beth to sing it for me!}

THE LITTLE FRISKIES
Way over in the meadow
In an old hollow tree
Lived old mother Frisky
and her little friskies three.
The mother stayed home
and kept the house neat
While Mr. Frisk hunted
them nice nuts to eat.

One very fine morning
Mr. Frisk did not come.
Mrs. Frisk said "dear children
I must bring him home.
Some very bad people
Are traveling about.
Lie still in your nest,
and don’t you stir out."

She put on her bonnet
and started to run.
A very bad man
Came along with a gun.
He lifted his gun -
it was loaded with lead -
and shot Mrs. Frisky
the squirrel quite dead.

He then took her home
and cut off her tail
and hung up her skin
on the wall on a nail.
And when the skin was
quite dry and quite tough -
He made little Bessie,
his daughter, a muff.

The poor little friskies
they cried and they cried.
But no one came near them
and so they all died.
In the cold stormy weather
when the north wind doth whirl -
Bess keeps her hands warm
in the skin of the squirrel.

Mom loved to read and tell stories and poems. This is one that I have fond memories of and I think that it's one she listened to when she was little.

LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE

Little Orphan Annie’s come to our house to stay -
To wash the cups & saucers up,
And brush the crumbs away,
And shoo the chickens off the porch,
And dust the hearth, and sweep,
And make the fire, and bake the bread,
And earn her board and keep.
And all us other chillun
When the supper things is done
We sit around the kitchen fire
An’ has the mostest fun
A listenin’ to the witches tales
‘At Annie tells about!
An’ the goblins ul get you
If ya don’t watch out!

Once there was a little boy
Who wouldn’t say his prayers.
When he went to bed at night
A waaay up stairs -
His mammy heered him holler
An’ his daddy heered him bawl.
But, when they turned the covers down,
He wasn’t there at all!
They seeked him in the rafter room
and cubby hole and press.
They seeked him in the chimney flue
and everywhere, I guess.
But all they ever found
Was just his pants and round-about.
An’ the goblins ul get you
If ya don’t watch out!

And once there was a little girl
Who would always laugh and grin,
And make fun of everyone,
and all her blood and kin.
And once when there was company,
And old folks was there
She mocked ‘em and shocked ‘em
And she said she "didn’t care!"
And just as she kicked up her heels
And turned to run and hide,
There were two big black things
A standin’ by her side.
They snatched her through the ceilin’
Fore she knowed what she’s about!
An’ the goblins ul get you
If ya don’t watch out!

An’ Little Orphan Annie says -
‘At when the blaze is blue
And the lamp wick sputters
And the wind goes ooo-ooo-ooo
And you hear the crickets quit
And the moon is gray
And the lightnin’ bugs and dew
Is all quenched away -
You better mind your parents
And your teachers kind and dear,
And cherish them that loves ya,
And dry the orphan’s tear.
And Help the poor and needy
‘At clusters all about —
Or the goblins ul get you
If ya don’t watch out!

...and one that I especially loved to hear and love to tell is...

VACATION TIME

Vacation time at last is here,
The jolliest time of all the year.
Away with books, pencils and pens
Now is the time to visit our friends.
We always to the country go,
Me and my youngest brother Joe.
We jump the fences, climb the trees,
And run through the meadows chasing bees.
Eat peaches, apples, plums and grapes,
And get in lots of awful scrapes.

But then it’s vacation time you know,
I don’t think folks ought to mind things so.

One day last summer Joe and me
Went down to the meadow the bull to see.
We couldn’t get a very good look at him,
So we let down the bars and walked right in.
You should have seen his shining eyes.
Joe said, "He’s taking in our size!"
And he frightened us so, Oh! Good stars!
We clean forgot to put up the bars.
And that mean old bull, just as sure as you’re born,
walked right through those bars into Grandpa’s corn.
Joe and me didn’t know what to do
As ear after ear we saw him chew.
Grandpa made an awful fuss
And he allowed it happened all through us!

But then it’s vacation time you know,
I don’t think folks ought to mind things so.

I’ll tell you my Gramma sure knows how to bake.
You never tasted such pies and cake
One day we were hungry and wanted a bite
And Gramma was nowhere in sight.
The things were on a high up shelf.
So we got a chair - and had to tip toe.
And that clumsy fellow my brother Joe -
I just gave him the least little bit of a tilt
And he sat right down in a pan of milk!
Gramma had an awful time getting his clothes clean.
And she allowed he spoiled every bit of her cream!

But then it’s vacation time you know,
I don’t think folks ought to mind things so.

Old dog rover’s a nice old chap,
But he likes to take his afternoon nap.
Joe and me spied him asleep one day
And we vowed we’d make him get up and play.
So we slipped in the milkhouse and got a tin pail
And tied it fast to old Rover’s tail.
And then we skeered him and he run like sin
And bittered and battered and spoiled the tin!
Grandpa came out and all the rest,
And said, "You boys must be possessed!
And if you don’t leave the animals and things alone,
We’ll pack your clothes and send you home!"

But then it’s vacation time you know,
I don’t think folks ought to mind things so!

I have these three pieces in Mom's handwriting - If you don't and want a copy let me know!