(WAR OF THE REBELLION 1884)

No, I won't, — thar, now, so! And it ain't nothin', — no!
And thar's nary to tell that you folks yer don't know;
And it's " Belle, tell us, do! " and it's " Belle, is it true? "
And " Wot's this yer yarn of the Major and you? "
Till I'm sick of it all, — so I am, but I s'pose
Thet is nothin' to you. Well, then, listen! yer goes!

It was after the fight, and around us all night
That was poppin' and shootin' a powerful sight;
And the niggers had fled, and Aunt Chlo was abed,
And Pinky and Milly were hid in the shed:
And I ran out at daybreak, and nothin' was nigh
But the growlin' of cannon low down in the sky

And I saw not a thing, as I ran to the spring,
But a splintered fence rail and a broken-down swing,
And a bird said " Kerchee! " as it sat on a tree,
As if it was lonesome, and glad to see me;
And I filled up my pail and was risin' to go,
When up comes the Major a-canterin' slow

When he saw me he drew in his reins, and then threw
On the gate-post his bridle, and — what does he do
But come down where I sat; and he lifted his hat,
And he says — well, thar ain't any need to tell THAT;
'Twas some foolishness, sure, but it 'mounted to this,
Thet he asked for a drink, and he wanted — a kiss

Then I said (I was mad), " For the water, my lad,
You're too big and must stoop; for a kiss, it's as bad, —
You ain't near big enough " And I turned in a huff,
When that Major he laid his white hand on my cuff,
And he says, " You're a trump! Take my pistol, don't fear!
But shoot the next man that insults you, my dear. "

Then he stooped to the pool, very quiet and cool,
Leavin' me with that pistol stuck there like a fool,
When thar flashed on my sight a quick glimmer of light
From the top of the little stone fence on the right,
And I knew 'twas a rifle, and back of it all
Rose the face of that bushwhacker, Cherokee Hall!

Then I felt in my dread that the moment the head
Of the Major was lifted, the Major was dead;
And I stood still and white, but Lord! gals, in spite
Of my care, that derned pistol went off in my fright!
Went off — true as gospil! — and, strangest of all,
It actooally injured that Cherokee Hall!

Thet's all — now, go 'long! Yes, some folks thinks it's wrong,
And thar's some wants to know to what side I belong;
But I says, " Served him right! " and I go, all my might,
In love or in war, for a fair stand-up fight;
And as for the Major — sho! gals, don't you know
Thet — Lord! thar's his step in the garden below.