This is 'The old Home by the Mill'--far we still call it so, <br />Although the old mill, roof and sill, is all gone long ago. <br />The old home, though, and old folks, and the old spring, and a few <br />Old cat-tails, weeds and hartychokes, is left to welcome you! <br /> <br />Here, Marg'et, fetch the man a tin to drink out of' Our spring <br />Keeps kindo-sorto cavin' in, but don't 'taste' anything! <br />She's kindo agein', Marg'et is--'the old process,' like me, <br />All ham-stringed up with rheumatiz, and on in seventy-three. <br /> <br />Jes' me and Marg'et lives alone here--like in long ago; <br />The childern all put off and gone, and married, don't you know? <br />One's millin' way out West somewhere; two other miller-boys <br />In Minnyopolis they air; and one's in Illinoise. <br /> <br />The oldest gyrl--the first that went--married and died right here; <br />The next lives in Winn's Settlement--for purt' nigh thirty year! <br />And youngest one--was allus far the old home here--but no!-- <br />Her man turns in and he packs her 'way off to Idyho! <br /> <br />I don't miss them like _Marg'et_ does--'cause I got _her_, you see; <br />And when she pines for them--that's 'cause _she's_ only jes' got <br />_me_! <br />I laugh, and joke her 'bout it all.--But talkin' sense, I'll say, <br />When she was tuk so bad last Fall, I laughed the t'other way! <br /> <br />I haint so favorble impressed 'bout dyin'; but ef I <br />Found I was only second-best when _us two_ come to die, <br />I'd 'dopt the 'new process' in full, ef _Marg'et_ died, you see,-- <br />I'd jes' crawl in my grave and pull the green grass over me!<br /><br />James Whitcomb Riley<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-old-home-by-the-mill/
