“Out To Old Aunt Mary's” is a poem by James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916)<br /><br />Harry E. Humphrey recites the poem<br /><br />Edison Blue Amberol 2539.<br /><br />Wasn't it pleasant, O brother mine, <br />In those old days of the lost sunshine <br />Of youth-- when the Saturday's chores were through, <br />And the 'Sunday's wood' in the kitchen too, <br />And we went visiting, 'me and you,' <br />Out to Old Aunt Mary's? <br /><br />It all comes back so clear to-day! <br />Though I am as bald as you are gray-- <br />Out by the barn-lot, and down the lane, <br />We patter along in the dust again, <br />As light as the tips of the drops of the rain, <br />Out to Old Aunt Mary's! <br /><br />We cross the pasture, and through the wood <br />Where the old gray snag of the poplar stood, <br />Where the hammering 'red-heads' hopped awry, <br />And the buzzard 'raised' in the 'clearing' sky <br />And lolled and circled, as we went by <br />Out to Old Aunt Mary's. <br /><br />And then in the dust of the road again; <br />And the teams we met, and the countrymen; <br />And the long highway, with sunshine spread <br />As thick as butter on country bread, <br />Our cares behind, and our hearts ahead <br />Out to Old Aunt Mary's. <br /><br />Why, I see her now in the open door, <br />Where the little gourds grew up the sides and o'er <br />The clapboard roof--! And her face-- ah, me! <br />Wasn't it good for a boy to see-- <br />And wasn't it good for a boy to be <br />Out to Old Aunt Mary's? <br /><br />The jelly-- the Jam and the marmalade, <br />And the cherry and quince 'preserves'' she made! <br />And the sweet-sour pickles of peach and pear, <br />With cinnamon in 'em, and all things rare--! <br />And the more we ate was the more to spare, <br />Out to Old Aunt Mary's! <br /><br />And the old spring-house in the cool green gloom <br />Of the willow-trees--, and the cooler room <br />Where the swinging-shelves and the crocks were kept-- <br />Where the cream in a golden languor slept <br />While the waters gurgled and laughed and wept-- <br />Out to Old Aunt Mary's. <br /><br />And O my brother, so far away, <br />This is to tell you she waits to-day <br />To welcome us--: Aunt Mary fell <br />Asleep this morning, whispering-- 'Tell <br />The boys to come!' And all is well <br />Out to Old Aunt Mary's.<br /><br />James Whitcomb Riley lived from October 7, 1849, to July 22, 1916.<br /><br />He was known as the "Hoosier Poet."<br /><br />His famous works include "Little Orphant Annie" and "The Raggedy Man".<br /><br />He struggled with his alcohol addiction and at least once was too drunk to perform for the audience that paid to hear him recite. <br /><br />“Out To Old Aunt Mary's” poem by James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916) Harry E. Humphrey recites
