S it 5^ * * ^ PAllal Class Author... J i ,._.._______.__. .. « — — i ,i Title -I i \ i ......-.......-.-■....-.....— ...........^ 1 Imprint -1 ' ^Ir?^ : \ - -* c , ':■' riff -S Price, 25 Cents. " - -^ ■^■^^^'^^--^^^■^ ^^^^^^^^A.^A^^^XX^^A^^^^^^ A^^. ■AAAAA^^A^ // JIM BLUDSO (9i^ r//^ PRAIRIE BELLE, AND LITTLE BREECHES. By JOHN HAY. BOSTON: JAMES R. OSGOOD & CO. ■y^yyr ^ ^ fv f » | > fwy^'^^^yTTyT^^¥^rT^>^T ^ ' i > f f v ' » ' ^ ' ^ ' f t f * | i>f » v f f » »»»f f f f »f y y ' In f re^!S. CASTILIAX DAYS. By JOHN HAY. ♦ James R. Osgood & Co., Publishers. I 'll hold her nozzle agin the bank. JIM BLUDSO OF THE PRAIRIE BELLE, AND LITTLE BREECHES. By JOHN HAY. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY S. EVTJXGE, JR. BOSTON: JAMES R. OSGOOD AND COMPANY, Late Ticknor & Fields, and Fields, Osgood, & Co. 1871. P•^ /^nn / 1 nni Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, BY JAMES R. OSGOOD & CO., in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. University Press : Welch, Bigelow, & Co. Cambridge. PUBLISHERS' NOTE. The illustrations which accompany this edition of these popular ballads have been made under the author's eye, and have received his approval. JIM BLUDSO, OF THE PRAIRIE BELLE. 'X'XTAhh, no! I can't tell whar he lives, Becase he don't live, you see ; Leastways, he 's got out of the habit • Of livin' like you and me. Whar have }'ou been for the last three year That you have n't heard folks tell How Jimmy Bludso passed in his checks The night of the Prairie Belle ? -/ I can't tell whar he lives. Ji7n Bhidso, He were n't no saint, — them engineers Is all pretty much alike, — One wife in Natchez-under-the-Hill And another one here, in Pike ; A keerless man in his talk was Jim, ^ And an awkward hand in a row, — - But he never flunked, and he never lied, - I reckon he never knowed how. And this was all the religion he had, — To treat his engine well ; Never be passed on the river ; To mind the pilot's bell ; And if ever the Prairie Belle took fire, — A thousand times he swore He 'd hold her nozzle agin the bank Till the last soul got ashore. HE weren't no saint. I NEVF.R ain't had no show. LITTLE BREECHES. T DON'T go much on religion, I never ain't had no show ; But I 've got a middhn' tight grip, sir, On the handful o' things I know. I don't pan out on the prophets And free-will, and that sort of thing, — But I b'lieve in God and the angels. Ever sence one night last spring. 17 I HEARD ONE LITTLE SQUALL, Little Breeches, I come into town with some turnips, And my little Gabe coipe along, — • No four-year-old in the county Could beat him for pretty and strong. Peart and chipper and sassy, Always ready to swear and fight, — And I 'd larnt him to chaw terbacker Jest to keep his milk-teeth white. The snow come down like a blanket As I passed by Taggart's store ; I went in for a jug of molasses And left the team at the door. They scared at something and started, — I heard one little squall,. And hell-to-split over the prairie Went team, Little Breeches and all. 19 I TEST FLOPPED DOWN ON MY MARROW-BONES. Little Breeches, Hell-to-split over the prairie ! I was almost froze with skeer ; But we rousted up some torches, And sarched for 'em far and near, At last we struck hosses and wagon, Snowed under a soft white mound, Upsot, dead beat, — but of little Gabe No hide nor hair was found. And here all hope soured on me. Of my fellow-critter's aid, — I jest flopped down on my marrow-bones, Crotch-deep in the snow, and prayed. By this, the torches was played out. And me and Isrul Parr Went off for some wood to a sheepfold That he said was somewhar than 21 AND THAR SOT LITTLE BREECHES AND CHIRPED. Little Breeches, We found it at last, and a little shed Where the}- shut up the lambs at night. We looked in and seen them huddled thar, So warm and sleepy and white ; And THAR sot Little Breeches and chirped, As peart as ever you see, " I want a chaw of terbacker, And that 's what 's the matter of me." How did he git thar } Angels. He could never have walked in that storm. They jest scooped down and toted him To whar it was safe and warm. And I think that saving a little child, And bringing him to his own, Is a derned sight better business Than loafing around The Throne. 23 NEW AND ENTERTAINING ^\rORKS OF FICTION". ISSUED IN OCTAVO VOLUMES, IN PAPER COVERS. WOVEN OF MANY THRE 4DS. 1 vol. 8vo. Price, 50 cents. FOUL PLAY. By Charles Eeade and Dion Bodcicault. Illus- trated. Price, 25 cents. GRIFFITH GAUNT. By Charles Reade. Illustrated. Price, 25 cents. THE CLOISTER AND THE HEARTH. By Charles Reade. Price, 35 cents. CATHERINE. By W. M. Thackeray. Price, 35 cents. EDWIN DROOD, AND UNCOLLECTED PIECES. By Charles Dickens. 16 Illustrations. Price, 50 cents. EDWIN DROOD. By Charles Dickens. 8 Illustrations. Price, 25 cents. AMERICAN NOTES. By Charles Dickens. Illustrated. Price, 25 cents. MUGBY JUNCTION, AND NO THOROUGHFARE. Two Christmas Stories. By Charles Dickens. Price, each, 10 cents. SILCOTE OF SILCOTES. By Henry Kingsley. Price, 75 cents. CALEB WILLIAMS. Price, 35 cents. TOO BRIGHT TO LAST. Price, 35 cents. JUST READY. SOMETHING TO DO. 1vol. Svo. Price, 75 cents. THE MARQUIS DE VILLEMER. By George Sand. Trans- lated from the French, by Ralph Keeler. 1 vol. Svo. Price, 75 cents. THE FOE IN THE HOUSEHOLD. By Caroline Chesebro'. 1 vol. Svo. Price, 75 cents. %* For sale by all Booksellers. Sen*, post-paid, on receipt of price by the Publishers, JAMES R. OSGOOD &. CO., Boston, Late Ticknor & Fields, and Fields, Osgood, & Co. ■^b^AA^ -'''^'"i«t*0*it**iii****ii**i*l>ii-^'^-^-^-"''-^-^-^'^'^ A^^^^^^^^_^ NEABLY READY. PIKR COUNTY BALLADS, AND OTHER FIECES- BY JOHN HAY. « ■^•^ > In this volume are gathered, under the headings of Pike County Ballads, Wanderlieder, and New and Old, the various poems hitherto printed by the author of JiiM Bludso, together with some others which are entirely new to the public. The poems contained in the first division are probably the best known, but those in the other parts of the volume are fully equal in merit, and though not cast in so popular a mould, yet show the touch of the same master-hand. Price, in Cloth, bevelled boards, $1.50. *jf* For sale by Booksellers, Sent, post-paid, on receipt of price, by the Pub- lishers, JAMES R. OSGOOD & CO., Boston. '#VVVVT'*V»V*T'/y*VVV» i^VTTVT^ f**#^*-VV**\^»»»»»V»V»'?VV*y»ff*r