Pap'S Old Sayin'

Pap had one old-fashioned sayin' That I'll never quite fergit-- And they's seven growed-up childern Of us rickollects it yit!-- Settin' round the dinner-table, Talkin' 'bout our friends, perhaps, Er abusin' of our neghbors, I kin hear them words o' Pap's-- "Shet up, and eat yer vittels!"

Pap he'd never argy with us, Ner cut any subject short Whilse we all kep' clear o' gossip, And wuz actin' as we ort: But ef we'd git out o' order-- Like sometimes a fambly is,-- Faultin' folks, er one another, Then we'd hear that voice o' his-- "Shet up, and eat yer vittels!"

Wuz no hand hisse'f at talkin'-- Never hadn't much to say,-- Only, as I said, pervidin' When we'd rile him thataway: Then he'd allus lose his temper Spite o' fate, and jerk his head And slam down his caseknife vicious' Whilse he glared around and said-- "Shet up, and eat yer vittels!"

Mind last time 'at Pap was ailin' With a misery in his side, And had hobbled in the kitchen-- Jest the day before he died,-- Laury Jane she ups and tells him, "Pap, you're pale as pale kin be-- Hain't ye 'feard them-air cowcumbers Hain't good fer ye?" And says he, "Shet up, and eat yer vittels!"

Well! I've saw a-many a sorrow,-- Forty year', through thick and thin; I've got best,--and I've got wors'ted, Time and time and time ag'in!-- But I've met a-many a trouble That I hain't run onto twice, Haltin'-like and thinkin' over Them-air words o' Pap's advice: "Shet up, and eat yer vittels!"