LL8E5- V3\> LES ENFANTS GERTRUDE LITCHFIELD Class __L:__ : h Book COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/lesenfantsbookofOOIitc LES ENFANTS A Book of Verse in French-Canadian Dialect GERTRUDE LITCHFIELD 1 BOSTON RICHARD G. BADGER THE GORHAM PRESS 1911 Copyright, 1910, by Gertrude Litchfield All Rights Reserved 1 The Gorham Press, Boston U S. CCU278724 PREFACE 1HAVE the hope that all who read these verses may feel somewhat acquainted with the little French-Canadian people with whom it has been my priviliege and delight to associate as a teacher and a friend. It is not of the French-Canadians in Canada that I write, but of the families of the French-Canadian immigrants in New England, who, through their astonishing increase in numbers, and their admirable traits of industry, frugality, domestic virtue, and good citizenship, have made themselves "a power to be felt and known" in many of our large manufac- turing centres. This population, amounting to nearly a million French-Canadians in our midst, seems wonderful and significant. Although they cluster in communi- ties, although the adults speak little or no Eng- lish, though they do not readily mingle with the Anglo-Saxon element of our towns, yet their chil- dren attend our public schools, soon command both languages, and finally fill high places of trust and honor in our merchantile and civic affairs. These little children, during that most interest- 3 PREFACE ing period, when they are acquiring the English language, struggling with new words, putting aside their native speech for the time being, yet recurring to it often in moments of hesitancy, and with strange confusions in grammar, give us a unique and fascinating dialect. It is this dialect which I have tried to portray with such accuracy and sym- pathetic love that they will seem to my readers the real, warm-hearted, spontaneous, beauty-loving lit- tle beings which they are to me. Gertrude Litchfield. For kind permission to reprint some of these verses the author wishes to express her thanks to the editors of the Boston Transcript and the Primary Education. CONTENTS Page Spirit of Christmas 7 Leetle Winter Bird IO George Washington 12 Gabrielle's Oriole 14 De Circus 15 Ma Yeelow Cat 21 The Broken Doll 23 The Rubber Ball 24 A Convalescent Boy on the Fourth of July . . . 25 Lousie 26 De Bebe on My House 28 Letting de Ole Cat Die 30 Ma Leetle Doll Rosette 31 The Fire-fly 32 Mademoiselle's Hat 33 My Valentine 35 L'ecole dans la rue Mechanique 36 Hoppee Toad 40 Le Canadien-Americain 42 5 CONTENTS IL N'Y A PLUS D' EN F ANTS The Courtship 45 Coaxed 47 De Piqnique 48 De Railroad Train 50 Over the Telephone 52 De New Year 54 Lullaby 56 Dat Leetle Han 57 De Storee Tarn 58 SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS Wat you t'ink, Miss Fee, 'Bout de Christmas tree — Santa Claus, he come? Dat geev some forme. Hev he got a sleigh, Lak de journal say, An' eight reindeer He hev for steer? How he mak' heself go Right over de snow An' reach all de house So still lak a mouse? Mus' be some trick — He go so quick Down beeg chimnee, For you never see How he get t'roo Dat beeg flu-flu, Nor w'at he leave — • But you jus' b'lieve He leave someting, Den bird on de wing He make' his pass To some noder place — Can't stop too long, So bells ding-dong, An' off he fly Right t'roo de sky. Will he come dis year? If I'm bad, I'm fear He don' lak me, But you know, Miss Fee, How hard I've try Not tell any lie; Wen Romeo swear I pulled his hair, 7 An' I say, I'm shu Santa Claus skip you. For no bad boy Will get some toy! But poor Romeo Aint got no show Side o' me, w'at's got A slicker lot, — You know my pa Don' go to de bar, An' my ma's ole dress Is better'n his ma's bes', An' she don' work ('Cause my pa don' shirk) All day on de mill, An' at night work still For mak' de house, An' patch Romeo's blouse; Me changez my clo'es An' mettez belle chose Don' wear beeg patch, Nor t'ings dat scratch, Mos' all de skin off — I say dat's tough. Now let me see — If you was me An' Santa Claus bring So many t'ing Because I'm good An' do w'at I should, — If he don' know All about Romeo, Dat w'y he's bad Is 'cause he can't be glad, You t'ink he'll care (Dough Romeo swear) If I geev him a lot Of de t'ings he's brought? 8 'Cause you see, Miss Fee, Dough he knows me, Shu he don't know About Romeo — All about his pa An' about his ma — Don' know how hard 'Tis, not to be bad ; An' p'r'aps w'en he gits More de t'ings w'at fits, An' some of de toys Wat's made for boys, P'r'aps den he'll be Jus' as good as me, So if Santa Claus come We'll mak' it some fonne For poor Romeo Whom Santa don' know. W'at you t'ink, Miss Fee, 'Bout de Christmas tree? LEETLE WINTER BIRD Oh, chicadee-dee ! Leetle birdie, Were 'tis you go W'en com' de snow An' win' she blow, Leetle chicadee-dee? You don' lef us Nor do you fuss W'en storm com' down ; I guess you foun' Warm place aroun' Somewhere, chicadee-dee ! De God know, too, W'en he male' you An' de wedder, All togedder, To put green fedder On de tree, chicadee-dee! An' dere you stay — You know de way To do, for keep Out of snow heap W'en it is deep, Leetle chicadee-dee! But w'en de sun Com' out, beeg one, You sit an' sing — You 'fraid not'ing, — An' spread you wing For fly, chicadee-dee! 10 Wat would we do Not to hev you All winter long For sing de song Dat mak' hearts strong? Bravo ! Chicadee-dee ! II GEORGE WASHINGTON George Washington, Oh, he's beeg wan! An' hones', too, By gum, dat's true. He never lie — He'd radder die Den say bad t'ing; Wan tarn he bring His leetle axe An' he mak' whacks Right in de tree, W'at has cherree. Well, w'at you bet Dat he will get — His fadder lick Wid his beeg stick? No, his fadder Jus' look sadder, An' say, "Georgie, Who cuts my tree?" An' Georgie say, "'Tis jus' dis way — f cuts you tree. To nobodee I tell some lie, An' dat is why You don' catch me Lyin' 'bout dat tree." Well, aint dat queer! I'm pretty skeer If he'd been me, Dat you would see My fadder do A t'ing or two. Oh, you don't know De beeg ole blow 13 Dat I hev had Wen he's got mad! Sometam, I lie — Dere's no use try For speak out true Wen you are shu De lickin's com' ; An' yet, by gum, If fadder of he Was fadder of me, I'd be beeg wan Lak Washington! 13 GABRIELLE'S ORIOLE See, Oh see, dat leetle birdie Am singin' on de tree! She hev a nes' dat's swing, An' swingin' nice's can be. How I'd lak' to be de birdie Way up dar! Leetle birdie, not afraid, she Up so far! Birdie has de black on fedder, Look lak orange on it, too, Wid some leetle white ones For trimmin's, jus' a few. Teacher say 'tis oriole Jus' lak you! Soon you will begin for fly In sky so blue! Why you hurree up for go, Why not stay on de tree? Mus' you fin' somet'ing For eating? Come to me, — I will geev you all my cookie. Won' you stay? I'll not pull your leetle fedder, Petit cher! 14 DE CIRCUS You don' never gone to de circus? Wat for den you don' go? Me, I seen beeg wan, nice wan, — Dat fonnee circus show. I say I seen it, I did, too, But don' tole nobodee! 'Cause de way I see was peek-boo Under de canopee. You don't lak dat way? Wat you t'ink Garcon lak me can do — 'Cause I don' hev de fiftee cent Me stay outside wid you? Oh, non, non, non, you mak' meestak' ; Wen bon circus is here, I don' wait long, I jus' go tak Dis hole place, I don' keer. De rain com' down, an' win' she blow, But I don' keer for dat, Don' mak' some difference jus' now, I'm jus' lak beeg drowned rat. My eyes, dey's dry enough for peek, Aint moche dere I can't see — De beeg, strong man, an' wan dat's weak, An' wan dat's beeg fattee. Oh, gee! Dey do de crazee trick — All double up so tight, Den com' buffoon wid leetle stick, I t'ink he's gon' for fight. IS He ack so mad an' den he laf, — Noder clown com' on de stage, Has yeelow clo'es wid red on half Wat fits him very large. I'd lak' to mak' de fool, Oh yass, Dey's really very smart To go aroun' an' mak' deir pass On leetle petit cart. De long ear mule, he took it roun' To geev it for a ride, He try to t'row it out on groun' But clown hang to de side. Den dey bote sing some loud chanson, Si forte! it mak' me deef, But dey sing better de nex' wan, Dat's only mak' belief. A woman den mak' some performance — Hang itself up by de toes? I t'ot dat maybe she gon' dance, Or try for stan' on it's nose. But she jus' kip up on dat t'ing — De leetle swing trapeze Ev'ry minute her han' she fling An' sen' some bon kisses. Dat part I can't recount some more Pourquoi? It mak' me sick, I lak for see de lion roar, But kisses com' too t'ick. I'd hev for mak' my leave right den If horses did not come, I'm pretty sure dat I count ten Jus' arrive! I'm dumb, 16 An' deef, an' Win', an' all dat's fool, If I don' lak dat race! Dey go two-fortee (dey's no mule), Dat bay wan set de pace. De trumpet blow, de race feenish, De wan I lak, she's beat! I am so glad for get my wish, I can't stan' on my feet. Jus' den beeg man wid bad, black eye, He spy me dere peekin' I t'ink he put me in lock-up, I try get off sneakin'. But 'fore I hev de time for skip, He ax me tak' peanut, He say he geev me grosse tiquette If I sell dose peanut. Den I can see de animal — Jus' w'at I want to see — So I commence for mak' my yell, "Peanut! one bag for t'ree!" I sell dem all, an' lolly-pop Beside, so now I go To tell de man, he say "Tip-top!" An' geev tiquette, also. An' now I pass right t'roo de show, Can't stop or kip me out, Dat's my beesness, I guess I know Quite moche w'at I'm about. Dere's ev'ry kin' of animal — Beeg kin' an' kin dat's small, Dere's some w'at's more den I can tell, An' oders hard to call. 17 De elephan', he has beeg tail On place w'ere nose should be, An' on his mout', as sharp as nail, Two horn pointing at me. Den dere's de giraffe, si haut! She's rubber, rubber-neck, For she can look on all below — She sees ev'ryt'ing, I spec'. Rhinosceros has horn on nose! Dat mak' hyenas laf, An' me, I laf an' laf, si grosse! I almost' split in half. De camels, too, dat chew an' chew, Dey got some bumps on back! How do you t'ink dat you'd feel, you, To get so many whack? I had a bump, me, swell right up, Wen I got hit on head, — I'd never lick a leetle pup So hard, or he'd come dead. An' did you never seen black bear? He stan' up straight an' dance, Dey play some musique, an' right dere He mak' some leetle pranks. But w'at I lak mos' bes, of all Was monkeys, I don' care For de res', w'en de monkeys bawl An' fight, an' pull deir hair. Dey chat, chat, chatter all de tarn, Dey hev somet'ing for say, I s'pose, but always jus' de sam' — Dey'd lak for talk all day. Dey get a face lak Monsieur Giroux; My modder say, "For shame!" But dat's de trut' I tell, for shu, An' me, I'm not to blame 'Cause he look lak dat, but anyhow, Dose monkey acks as well As he does, too, an' dat's trut' now, For him, he'll go to hell! He say all swear word, bad an' bole, An' lots he say beside, Ah' all de lies! I never tole So many, if I tried. I don' lak him, he mak' me mad ; I call him monkey once Right on his face, an' he's not glad For dat, not moche, je pense. I never know about dat t'ing Dey call de kangaroo, Wid head as leetle as a pin An' tail beeg 'nough for two. I t'ink she hev mos' ninety year, She walk as if it 's ole — Jus' lak my poor great-grandmodder — But now, I see she's hole De leetle babies on her knee! Her lap, she's mad' lak poche; My modder, she has got babie — So very, very moche — I t'ink she'd lak a poche comme cela! 'Twould be a convenience For hole Celange, Beatrix, Eva, Fiorina an' Constance. 19 Jus' den, de Hon mak' beeg roar, My storee now is done, I t'ink he shake de very floor I'm scare me, an' I ronne. I don' know why I acks lak fou I wish dat I had stay, For w'en once I get out, Oh, whew! I can't get back no way. But den I get de fine balloon, Beeg man wid bad, black eye, He geev it me, a nice beeg wan, Jus' lak de moon on sky. I'm glad for dat, I hoi' it tight — Prend-garde, don' let it bus' — An' now I see it ev'ry night An' t'ink of de circus. 20 MA YEELOW CAT I use' for hev wan beeg, black cat, Noder tam I hev wan gray, But now I got no cat lak dat, Dis wan, she's noder way. She's very yeelow, tout le corps, She's got no white on nose No white on tail, nor anyt'ing, Not even on de toes. She's not moche fat, don' grow tres grosse, But I don' care for dat Of course, she gon' come pretty t'in Wen all tam she chase rat. She catch de beeges' wan I seen, 'Twas mos' as beeg lak her, But she too quick for let it go — Dat's moche to rat's douleur. I'm always glad, me, w'en she get De rat for her souper For den I know she's hev enough An' will not go hungre. Sometam dere's no too moche manger For all fourteen children So w'ere you t'ink dat cat come in Wid such a lot of dem? She go an' mak' de leetle veesit, For see de people aroun' An' she restez until she eat Ev'ryt'ing dat can be foun'. 21 But w'en it's comin' presque soir, An' black in all de sky, I sit me at de window here, I know she come bime-bye. Den scratch, scratch, scratch, an' scratch, scratch, scratch ,- She jompe right to de place, She say, "Meow," an' "Meow" encore An' look right troo de glass. Dose eye, dey mak' me t'ink of fire, Lak coal in de fourneau ; You s'pose dat's how she fin' way home — Dey show it w'ere to go? I go an' ope de door for her, I say to her, '"Peche-toi!" For she is French, as French as me, But I know some Englais. Wen she come back again to me, We always hev good play, She ronne aroun' for leetle string, She lak for play dat way. Den come de sleepy tarn pour nous, L'enfant, dey go on lit, Dere's t'ree in all de bed but wan, Dat wan is trop petit. Dat wan is jus' beeg 'nough for me An' you, I tol' you dat, Dere's always room wid me for you, Ma good ole yeelow cat. 22 THE BROKEN DOLL I've los' my doll, she's broke it's head. An' I can't play, 'cause she's come dead. My modder bought anoder doll, She's great beeg wan, an' stan' so tall ; She's sitting dere in de parlor 'Cause I aint got no use for her; She's yeelow hair, an' blue silk dress, Wid gold trimmin's an' all de res'; She is quite swell, my Isobelle, But I don' lak her near so well As Philomene, who sleep wid me, An' sit an' play upon my knee, An' know jus' ev'ryt'ing I say Until her head — she broke dat day. But I don' care if dolls is bus', You can't help love 'em — so — you mus' ! 23 THE RUBBER BALL You no play rubber ball — Male' her boun' on de wall? If you hit her veree fas' She will hurree, mak' her pass. You no catch it — Jus' you slap it She will com' right back to you Before you can count "one, two!" You no need some wan for t'row, De leetle ball, she seem to know How to come back, When she go whack. Wouldn't you t'ink dat she'd feel tire Wen she go more fas' an' higher? But she never fail you so, Jus' so long you mak' her go, Wen you hit it An' don' miss it. Dere's de crack dere on de wall Dat is w'ere you sent de ball, An' it look dere all de w'ile Jus' as if it 's wan beeg smile, Dat seem for say, — "'Tis you stop play, You can't beat de rubber ball, She would not geev up at all, You're no winner — She's de spinner." 24 A CONVALESCENT BOY ON THE FOURTH OF JULY Dey mak' beeg noise, an' dey catch bad boys, An' dey puts 'em in de lock-up, An' dey mak' beeg fires an' dey cuts de wires, An' de roads dey try for block-up. Dey blow de horn an' mak' 'lum'nation, Dat look lak de sky was burning, Some red an' blue, an' green fire, too, Shows up ev'ryw'ere you're turning. Dere's fire-crackin', an' great beeg w'ackin' Wan, goes off, almos' bus' your ear; It seems to me dat dis shouldn't be — If I was out, I wouldn't keer. But w'en you're sick, you'd radder be lick Den hev for stay here, all shut up Tight in de house, so still lak a mouse, An' never, never to get up. Only jus' lie an' see de t'ings fly, An' wish dat you could fly 'way, too. I t'ink you'd cry on de Fort' o' July If you had to stay on de house, you! 25 LOUSIE Lousie, On de head, me! Here, I guess, On dis place, Oh, she's bit — I know it! I go scratch Try for catch Lousie, Bad lousie! Lousie, On de head, me! Dere it go — Bite encore, How she fly, Oh, me, my! I don' see Were she be Lousie, Quick lousie! Lousie, On de head, me! If she's one She's hev fonne Skippin' so — But dere's mo' Yes, I bet I will get Lousie, Ten lousie! 26 Lousie, Now your' re dead, see! Run no mo' I am sho' In my han' You will stan' No mo' bite, Not a mite, Lousie, Poor lousie! 27 DE BEBE ON MY HOUSE Dere's a bebe com' on my house, Sauvage bring it, dat's true — She bring it for my modeler An' for my fadder, too. I lak de bebe on my house, My fadder's not moche glad, My modder look at de bebe, I t'ink den she feel sad. Since de bebe com' on my house, Dere's somet'ing don' be right, It don' ope it's eyes for seein'. Dey's always shut up tight. Wan eye, she mak' it go lak dis, Nodder eye, she go lak dat ; Can't kip it warm, can't kip it still, Little han' she go lak dat. Don' mak' no difference on my house Wat dey can do at all, Bebe still hev les deux jambes croches, An' always kip so small. De sauvage dat com' on my house, She bring de bebe so; My fadder's mad, yass, very mad, He say she bring some mo' Lak dat w'en she com' on my house He'll shoot her so she's dead, He's 'fraid not'ing, my fadder is, He'll shoot her on de head. 28 But de bebe don' stay on my house, We know raison for why, We geev good name for de bebe, So, of course, she's gon' for die. Geev it bad name, bebe will leev, You see, dat's jus' de way; Rosalma Valida — fine name, An' so she cannot stay! Well, den dey took it from my house, Put in on cemetiere, An' now we hev no bebe For I'm le plus jeune dere. Nex' tarn Sauvage com' on my house She's gon' bring one for stay; I don' t'ink she's nice for geev it An' den tak' it away. 29 LETTING DE OLE CAT DIE Oh, I go swing, an' I swing high, I'm t'inkin' shu I'll touch de sky, But I fin' out I can't do dat For ev'ry tarn I come right back; To swing some more, I will not try. "Get out!" I say. "Oh, now go 'way An' don' touch me For can't you see Dat I'm letting de ole cat die!" Rosie, she sit in hammock close by Wid her Henri, — dey don' swing high, Dey're too busee for talk too moche; I never see de lak of soche ; He's kissin' it right on de sly — But she don' say, "Oh, now go 'way An don' touch me!" For can't you see — She's not letting de ole cat die! 30 MA LEETLE DOLL ROSETTE She com' fatiguee, Ma leetle Rosette, Her eye, she's fermez, De bes' wan she's get — She don't hev but wan, De oder, dat melt Wen shine de beeg sun. So sorree I felt I catch her up quick An' save oder eye Dat's turn to de brick Of de walk close by On my house, Oh, my! I kiss it an' mak it Com' well ; she don' cry Lak de doll dat sit ^o fine in beeg store. She can't say, "Papa!" Perhaps if I show her She can say, "Mamma!" But why need for speak ? I know all she mean Wen I put leetle cheek Up close, how she been So sleepee for long time, So tres fatiguee I sing her de nice rhyme, An' den she's dormez She sleep all de day, Ma leetle Rosette Her eye, she's fermez De bes' wan she's get. 31 THE FIRE-FLY Oh, leetle fire-flier, I'm shu you go higher Dis night, den I ever was seen you before! I look on de grass here, An' den on de bush near, An' den on de tree an' I see you encore, Nort', an' sout', an' eas', — wes',- You go w'ere you lak bes', An' me, I go follow an' wish you keep still — Jus' wan leetle minute I see how you' wing lit De sky — lak de star in de heaven twinkel! I put out my han' so But 'fraid me you're tres chaud, I t'ink you gon' burn me wid you' pretty light, But now, I hev caught you, Wat is it you got, you? I don' know, — I can't tell — Wat mak' you so bright! 32 MADEMOISELLE'S HAT Mademoiselle Valoir Hev a hat noir, Got beeg fedder Dat look redder Den garden beet You lak for eat, It was beeger Dan de feeger In de store had — (Dat was tres bad) — Lak a basket Dat ma mere's get W'ich I put on, for fonne, Comme cela! Mademoiselle Valoir Com' to our parloir For mak' veesit, An' down she sit. I hev for smile — She t'ink she's style. "Tak' off you' hat," Ma mere said dat, She, agreable, Put 't on de table; Wen she no look, Dat hat I took An' put it on, for fonne, Comme cela! 33 Mademoiselle Valoir She's ma bete-noire! She look aroun', An' den she foun' Dat I borrow Her beau chapeau, Oh, gol done ca, How she holler! She say, "I guess Dis no politesse!" She jompe for me, But I hurree — Away I ronne, for fonne, Comme cela! 34 MY VALENTINE I get wan Christmas card, An' I hev wan New Year, too, But de wan I lak mos' bes' Was de wan I get from you. I don' know w'at it say — Can't read me, very correc', But de picture was dandy All color, Oh, 't was slick! Dere was hearts upon it- My sister get wan lak dat — Wid blue flower aroun' it W'at you call forget-me-nat. She read me de verses, An' I 'member w'at dey say — "Je t'aime toujours, ma cherie Je suis tout a vous, si vrai!" I wonder if de letter On my card speak it so fine! I ax her if she tell me, An' she read, — "My Valentine." She lak her card quite moche, She tol' me it's from her beau — I don' know who or w'ich wan, But perhaps it's Romeo. But dis, "My Valentine"— Dat soun' so good an' so true, An' I s'pose I lak it bes' Because, well, — it came from you ! 35 L'ECOLE DANS LA RUE MECHANIQUE Dat teacher dans la rue Mechanique, We lak her more'n all de res', Pourquoi? 'Cause she's lak de Canayen, An' so, for shu, she's de bes'. Her eye, she's black lak Canayen, Her hair, she's brown lak de bear, She's not a large wan, dat teacher, She is leetle — can get ev'ryw'ere. She not nak' no fuss for de chil'ren, She help dem for mak' it some fonne, She can skip, jompe, an' play lak a good wan, I bet you, too, she can ronne. Sometam she gon put her arm 'roun' us Quand we do somet'ing bad politesse, She tell us how bad it mak' feel her, Wen we try hard for not do our bes'. Den tear she stan' out on de eye Of de boy or de girl also, Den a look go from one to de oder A look w'ich we all better know. De teacher den start us on singin' "My Countree," or somet'ing lak dat, She mak' us all stan' up lak sojer An' den we go march after dat. She tell us sometam leetle storee 'Bout ev'ryt'ing she don' know, I tell you, it mak' us to listen For she go so nice an' so slow. 36 She go slow for male us comprenez, Don' you see now de raison for why? We don' understand moche of Englais, An' for mak' us, she always is try. Wen de han' she mak' noise on de desk, An' de foot she mak' noise on de floor, You t'ink she go mad an' screech An' lak de beeg lion mak' roar? Well, I t'ink not, 'tain't lak her for do so, She sit herself down right away, She look at us kin' in de face, An' she say, "Leetle chil'ren, let's play." She know all de hard we been workin' Pour de lire et d'ecrire an' all such, She see it is hard for keep quiet, An' she know we lak play very much. Oh, den you should see up de han' com' For mak' it some choice 'bout de game — 'Tis "bean-bag," an' "boy-blue," an' lots more- "Leetle squirrel" is bes' jus' de same. You know how com' play "leetle squirrel"? 'Tis de tune of de "Doodle Yankee," I lak it, me, it is so pretty, An' de tune, it is dead easee. "De leetle squirrel wants to race Wid some quick child who's steady, So hide you desk upon you face" — I make' meestake lak Teddy! 37 He always sing dat t'ing wrong way — For how you gon hide desk on face? 'Tis "hide you face upon you desk An' for de nut be ready." Den, "Tra la la la la la la, La la la la la la la," Sing "Tra la la la la la la, La la la la la la, la." You see all tarn dat las' chanson, A leetle boy still ronne on, He carry nut right in his han' An' drop it soon to some wan. Dat wan, he pick it up so quick, An' chase de feller who's droppin', He chase him up an' down de aisle, Wile all de res' am watchin'. Oh, dat is w'at mak' us excite, 'Tis good as de circus, For see de feller catch him so It mak' us almos' bus'. De game is don', we soon go home, But some stay wid maitresse, Dere'e wan restez mos' ev'ry niglu Dat wan, it is Amez. He hev a sled outside de door, He say he geev de teacher ride; She say she cannot ride no more, She hev a laugh she cannot hide. 38 It male* her t'ink w'en she was young, She mus' be pretty old at las', For she's been teachin' all de tarn Since I was com' to baby class. Well, Amez, he will talk to her, For he does love her so, I t'ink dat he will stay all night He is so slow for go. He say he's shu for marry her W'en he grow into man He say he geev her good ride den For he will hev a span. He say w'en dey com' mak' marree Dere's money in de bank, He geev her a ten-dollar bill, An never be no crank. He spen' his money all for hei, Dat mak' her very glad, He say he never swear no more An' never more be bad. She laugh a leetle, say not'ing, I tol' you dat ain't so, Amez, she never marry him, She hev anoder beau ! 39 HOPPEE TOAD Hoppee, hoppee, hoppee-toad, Wen I seen you on de road, T'ot you was a lettle stone Dat I almos' step upon, But you jompe across de road, Hoppee, hoppee, hoppee-toad ! You land you'se'f wid such a t'ump, An' com' down all in a flat lump, Den you push you'se'f along Wid you' back legs, beeg an' strong; It is fonne to watch you go — Jerkee, jerkee, veree slow! If I do not go too near, You don' care if I am here — T'ink you lak ma comp'ny, too, Wen I'm quiet, jus' lak you. I can't any quarrel pick If I poke you wid a stick — You not gon' to try for fight, Don' know how to scratch or bite ; Jus' you turn an' mak' you' pass T'rough de fiel' an' 'cross de grass- Will not stay upon de road, Hoppee, hoppee, hoppee-toad. Once a time I follow you Wat you tink I seen you do If I don' see wid my eyes Guess I gon' be some surprise. I hev watch you catch a fly An' mak' my laugh till I come cry, 40 Wen you snap widin you' mout' All de bug you fin' about But dis tarn, 'fore I can say Wat you gon' do anyway Weder you unfasten it Or 'twas tight enough to split I never know, but in de dirt, Dere I seen you eat you' shirt. Wen you pull it off you' back Dere's anoder brown an' black Underneat' it, — jus' de sam'! Ma foi! Avez-vous faim? If I know dat you get lef, An' you hev for eat you'se'f, 'Stead of catching bug an' fly I would feed you, by and by, Wen again I pass de road, Hoppee, hoppee, hoppee-toad! 41 LE CANADIEN-AMERICAIN Well, yass, dat's so, I'm Frangais, me, But dat's not all I am, I don' leev on de French countree, I lak de Uncle Sam ; My modder, an' my fadder too, Dey come leev on de state, An' dat's no matter w'ere day grev, It never is too late For de Canadien To be Americain. I'm small wan, me, beeg 'nough to be Not'ing at all, I guess, But w'at you t'ink dat you will see Wen tarn gon' mak' it's pass? You t'ink you know it, do you, yass? Dat I will be sojer, An' not be couche on de grass, T'inkin' all dis over — How de Canadien Can be Americain. If I go on de war an' figlTt, I'm not 'fraid, me, for die I'm shu, for I hev dream at night Dat I was in de sky; Dat's nice place dere, — but if I leev An' loss my leg or arm, — Dat's not too moche, is it, to geev If you lak Uncle Sam As dis Canadien Who is Americain? 42 IL N'Y A PLUS D'ENFANTS THE COURTSHIP Wen ma modeler die, ma tante, she say, "You com' an' leev wid me, I'm not moche rich, but I know de way Ta mere gon' feel sorree If de speerit com' an' see its girl Wid nobodee care for it I tak' you now, an' watch you till Some feller com' an' sit An' court you dere in de ole parloir, An' ax you for mariee, — Oh, now you com' so rouge, w'at for You color up dat way? Look lak de blood will bus' your skin, But I know you t'ink for sure Of de boy by de name of St. Martin Who hang aroun' de door Mos' ev'ry night till de clock strike ten, An' longer, too, maybee, If I don' call an' tell you den It's tarn for all bodee To say 'Aurevoir,' an' go to bed, Or to-morrow will fin' You rose cheek white, an' feel beeg head. An' dat won' please Antoine." I min' ma tante, because I know, I'm sure she's good for me. Nex' morn, she look inside ma door Wen I am still sleepee, She say, "Antoine, he look very nice Las' night! — Oh, you can't fool me Lookin' as if you hev no eyes — Shut tight so you cannot see; You might as well wake up and show How shine you beeg black eye! But I'll not ax you any mo' — I know you'll com' bime-by 45 An' say, 'Ma tante, you sure mus' see De way dis t'ing she go — How I lak him, an' he lak me, He is de only beau.' " Ma tante, she mus' hev beau galore Wen she was young some day, Leevin' back in ol' Canadaw, She knows mos' all de way, I don' hev tol' her ev'ryt'ing, An' I don' hev tol' you! But dis moche happen in de spring Wen all de sky was blue, An' fiel' was green, an' bird dey sing As if dey's glad lak me, For dere's no feller ever bring A girl dat's more happee Up to de church of de Notre-Dame For mak' de mariee, For him, he say he got bes' femme Dere is on dis countre ! COAXED Wat for you ax me mariee Wen I hev tol' you, "Non, non, non?" Wat's dat, w'at's dat I hear you say — Dat you will ax Marie LeDaux? Oh, now, you know she's not fine girl, An' she don't lak you, too, I'm shore — She tol' me she lak Joe Marville Till she can't lak some one no more. W'at's dat, you say she tak' you quick If she can get you on de string? You are so smart, you mak' me sick, You talk lak you don' know not'ing! Say, 'Gene, I t'ink you gon' crazee — I'll never look at you some more If you t'ink Marie's better'n me — Ma gosh, you mak' me almos' roar! Com' in de house, its col' outside, I feel some col' myself, also. (I don' know how dat I can hide Wat he mus' soon fin' out, I know!) Come, now, you sit beside me here For I hev very moche to say. "Kiss you"! Oh no!— "Marie"! Oh dear! Ah oui, I geev you nice baiser! 47 DE PIQNIQUE Wan day we go on leetle piqnique, Off in de wood somewhere, Dere's Jeremie Plant, and Joe Trinique, An' me, we t'ree was dere. Dere's not moche work on shop dat tarn, Ba gosh, we do not care! We lak mak' monee all de sam' But we not gon' for swear. We say, "Here comes our luck for sure, Dis day we mak' some fun, We see de sky she can't be bluer, An' oh, so bright, de sun! We tak' our pole an' tak' our string An' put a hook on it, We dig some worm which Jeremie put Right into his pocket. An' Joe, he hev w'at I don' know, But he geev me leetle wink, So I suppose we hev also Somet'ing dat's good for drink. We sit dere on de rock dat day, Waiting for fish to bite But dey don seem for be hungre, Perhaps de sun's too bright. I see Jeremie, he shif his seat — He seem quite oneasee, An' den I feel de dam mosquit' Is try for eat up me. 48 Dere's fonnee t'ing — we make a bet Dat we won' speak of it, Nor scratch ourselves on w'at we get An' so dey bit an' bit. But never word we say encore Till I can see quite well A bite is under Joe's collar An' on Jeremie's ankel. On my finger I get bad one Which mak' me mos' crazee, I say, "Perhaps you t'ink dis fun? — *I'm catchin' cold for me." Den Jeremie rise an' start for run, **He shak' his heel lak dat An Joe, poor t'ing, his turn began, But Joe, he's pretty sma't. ***He look aroun' dis way, den dat— For see how Jeremie run, An' den we all tak' up our hat An' call our fishin' done. Dere's not'ing said about de bet, But sometam w'en we meet We ax, "How many bite you get W'en we had dat piqnique?" *Gesture — drawing the infected finger under the nose. **Gesture — moving up and down the infected ankle. ***Gesture — turning head from side to side, rubbing neck against the collar. 49 DE RAILROAD TRAIN Wat you know 'bout dis railroad train ? I seen her two, t'ree tam, Wen on Sunday I tak' my cane An' go walk wid my femme. Wan day I pass on dat depot An' smoke wan good cigar, Wen I mak' up my min' to go An' tak' ride on de car. I wear a bel new suit on me, So I suppose for guess, Wid red neck-tie an' small goatee, I am quite politesse. I tie a flower wid a pin Upon my button-hole, I see a window — look widin To see how tiquette sol'. I call out, "Monsieur Door-keeper, Geev me wan grosse tiquette For go ride on your steamboat car — Dere's fiftee cent for it. I go walk out in de platfloor For promenade leetle way, Dere's many people go out-door For watch de train passez. I walk aroun' an' feel me, too Is jus' as beeg wid dem. I turn my back, an' den, "Toot-too!" I hear dat beeg engen. 50 She com' aroun' dat curv' corner, So fas' I cannot tell! I am so mad she don' stop dere My tiquette I will sell. I ax somewan if he will buy, I say I'll sell it cheap — For twentee-cent. He says, "For why You' tiquette you don' keep?" I tak it to de door-keeper, He say, "Dat's not your train." I say, "For dat I pay my fare, You don' catch me again! "If dat's not mine, whose is it, den? I don' ride ev'ry day, But if I cannot go jus' w'en I lak, I'll stay away." Ba gosh, w'at mak' me mad de mos' Was w'at dat engen say, I can't help swear, me, w'en, ba grosse! She commence for souffler. "Too-te-too-te-toot, I got you fiftee cent I got you fif-tee cent, — "Too-te-too-te-toot, I got you fiftee cent I got you fif-tee cent!" 51 OVER THE TELEPHONE One, two — ring t'ree! Madame's out — Dat means me! I go speak on telephome! Felix knows She's not at home. Now he t'ink dis Wan good chance Perhaps for ax me Go for dance. * Hello, — Yes, yes, — Hello, I say, — Wat for you go Talk dat way? — I can't tole you Wat you tell ! — Wat's dat you say — I mak' my yell? — Well, I can't hear Very well. If you knew how I'd mak' you spell! — "L-O-V-E" Dat's correc' — How you learn dat? — Oh, I 'spec' You got teachers Somew'ere roun'!— No, I never! — I'll be boun' Dat's all you know! Wat you geev If 'tisn't so? — *Taking down the receiver. 52 Well, I'd geev Not anyt'ing! — No! I do not Want your ring. — Let me hear you Try again. — "M-A-R— ", Yes, ( Dat's veree plain ! ) "I-E-R— " Wat, You mean me? — You spell quite right !- Well, dat's fonnee, I t'ought you don' Know anyt'ing, But now, I guess, I talc' you ring. — An' marry you Ah oui, maybe. — (But I'm not shu Who's talk to me — Dat voice don' soun' Lak' my Felix — I t'ink I mus be Pretty mix. I'll ax him, now!) Say, who is dere? — Not you, Felix? Oh, Great Cesaire! Wat I goin' do? — Marry wit' you — I not promise ! — **Felix ! — Adieu.*** **Aside — indicating the entrance of Felix. ***Hanging up the receiver. 53 DE NEW YEAR De New Year com' An' de New Year go! De New Year com' But she com' no mo' Wid de t'ing she brought So long ago. I 'member me, Wen I hev a beau- — He's bes' man den Dat I ever know In dat sweet tarn So long ago! We male' mariee, An' den we go Leev on good house Wid plaintee mo' Good t'ing we had So long ago! De chil'ren com' An' de chil'ren go, An' de leetle wan Play aroun' our do' — Oh my, it seems So long ago! Wan New Year com' An' it bring my Joe — Oh, de bel ange! We loved him so, But he pass from us — So long ago! 54 My man, he's here, But I don' know How long he sit So droll an' slow Beside de fire, I only know Dat he's not lak De man he was He's lak de fly You see was froz' Upon de wall An' los' its buzz. De tarn will com', Wen he no mo' Will sit beside De oven do', An' smoke his pipe An' puff an' blow. Wen dat tarn com' I hope to go — For he's my man, An' I love him mo' Den I did de beau Of long ago! De New Year com* An' de New Year go! But in nex' worl' Perhaps I'll know My man w'at was So long ago! 55 LULLABY Hush! Hush! Go to sleep, ma bebe, Don' you cry, stop you try For male' les yeux see, Fermez vite, rest, ma sweet — Ma wan leetle cherie! Hush! Hush! Ton pere, he no comin' — Com' no more for see pauvre Petite bebe an' me. Oh, le Dieu! pity you — Ma wan leetle cherie! 56 DAT LEETLE HAN' Dat leetle han' It was so sweet, So lak a rose Dat bloom an' greet Us in de June. No flower dat grows Was look so pink An' none could change More quick, I t'ink, An' fade more soon. Dat leetle han' I feel it still As if could touch Ma cheek, an' t'rill Ma heart wid joy. Marie Sainte, 1 look to Dee! Hoi' Dou dat han' An' keep for me Ma leetle boy! 57 DE STOREE TAM {Adapted from an old Canadian Legend) Sometam w'en snow at night, or rain, We all com' sit on our kitchen ; De modder weave de rag tapis, Wile leetle wan play about de knee, De boys mak' noisee mos' de tarn, But girls, deys busee jus' de sam ; I pull ma chair up to de fire — De stove, ma femme, she polish higher Dan toe St. Peter, — w'at you tink — She mak' me proud ? You bet you' chink ; I light ma pipe, commence for smoke W'en seems lak ev'ry wan, she spoke, An' pull ma collar, tear ma hair, Till I mos' t'ink I don't be dere — "Oh, tell wan storee, papa, please!" I see I never get no ease Till storee 's done, so say me, "Well About w'at t'ing you want I tell?" "Oh, tell about de grandfadder Dat used for live on Canada!" De storee, sure, dey know by heart, But always want to hear dat part — How he got los' at Point Levis On wan dark night. He go on spree — I guess dat's true — but he say no — He always claim it isn't so, Dough he hev flask of whiskey blanc He said he did not drink ce temps. Now he start out upon de way — A braver man don' leev, I say, — De horse he ride was wan fine brute Dat lak de bow an' arrow shoot, An so he go for many mile; Bime-bye it seem de witches' isle, 58 De Isle D'Orleans — jus' right across Was all afire; he leave his hoss, He sprang de ditch — he lean on fence, Wid all his eyes he stare intense — He saw de flames dance up and down, Lak will-o'-wisp, go roun' an' roun', — He strain his eyes wid all his might, An' den behol', wan cur'ous sight, — Some men dere were of queerest breed Wid heads lak peck measure, indeed, An' pointed cap, a yard in length, Some claws, mauvaise, of awful strength, Were on de leg, an' feet, an' han', An' now I tole you 'bout dis man De strangest t'ing of all dat be Was dat he don' hev no bodee, — De leg seem fasten' to de ear, An' all de fat had disappear, De lip of ev'ry wan was split Ver' moche de same as de rabbit. An' t'rough each split, a tusk dere be Lak dat in you' unnat'ral histree ; De nose was lak wan beeg pig-snout, W'ich dey could twist each way about, De tail was mak' for sweep de flies, 'Twas twice as long as cow's, besides. For ev'ry couple of dose witch Dere's only t'ree eye — one of w'ich, De one-eye imp, lead 'roun' de two Who follow heem an' mak' goo-goo Wid bot' hees eyes, an' jompe along, Lak choking cow dey sing dis song, — "Come, my tricking traveler's guide, Devil's minion, true and tried, Come, my sucking pig, my simple, Brother Wart and Brother Pimple, Here's a fat and juicy Frenchman To be pickled, to be fried!" 59 Your grandfadder, he feel som' scare, He say, "Now prenez-garde, ma chere, If you get no more fat to eat Dan dat you fin' on my lean meat You need not hardly skim you' brot' !" An' 'fore dere's tarn for second tho't, He see loom up wan beeg devil As long as steeple St. Michael; He carry 'bout a beeg sauce-pan, He beat on it, an' goblins ran Lak lightnin' 'roun' de island shore In wan minute, w'ile giant roar, "Here's the spot that suits us well When it gets too hot in hell, Toura Loura, Here we go all around, Hands all around, Here we go, hands all around ! "Come along and stir your sticks, You jolly dogs of heretics, Toura Loura, Here we go all around, Hands all around, Here we go, hands all around! "Room for all, there's room for all That skim or wriggle, bounce or crawl, Toura Loura, Here we go, all around, Hands all around, Here we go, hands all around !" De devil struck de beeg sauce-pan, An' said, "Come 'cross quick as you can, Dere's only fourteen t'ousand time To dance aroun' an' sing de rhyme, Before 'tis time for cock to crow!" Wid dat, he struck t'ree awful blow. 60 Your grandfadder could feel de sweat Stan' out all over heem, you bet, 'Twas hanging from hees nose, ba gosh ! Lak head of oats, — he's scare dat moche. He felt heeself some stupefy, An' den he hear a bird, w'ich cry, "Que tu?"— "O, ho!" My fadder said, 'Tis quite plain now dat I'm not dead An' gon' to hell — for now I hear De good Lord's bird — de leetle dear!" He ope his eye, first wan, den two, An' still he hear de soun' "Que-tu?" "Oh, my dear bird," said he to it, "I'm not quite sure my name will fit; De day before, 'twas Jean Coutu, But I can't say now if it's true." Wen he perceive it's broad day light He fin' heeself in such a plight — Right in de ditch, cover' wid sand ; First t'ing he did, he stretch hees hand For talc' a drink, but no such luck! De empty flask he foun' was stuck Into de mud, an' so he guess De witches drank it, more or less, — He swear dat he don' tak' two drop. He walk way home — de horse don' stop For bring heem back — an' such a change Was in heem dat we t'ought it strange. You don' believe it? In one night His hair was turn from black to white. 'Twas two week after 'fore he tole One-half de storee, or de whole. But ever after, ever more He's even 'fraid to do his chore Out in de stable after dark, At ev'ry noise he say, "Oh, hark!" An' shak' heeself wid fear an' dread. — Dat's all, ma children, go to bed. 61 dec 30 saio Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: Sept. 2009 PreservationTechnologies A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATIO 111 Thomson Park Drive Cranberry Township, PA 1 6066 (724) 779-2111 One copy del. to Cat. Div. :: 30 W10