Regardin' Terry Hut

Sence I tuk holt o' Gibbses' Churn     And be'n a-handlin' the concern,     I've travelled round the grand old State     Of Indiany, lots, o' late!     I've canvassed Crawferdsville and sweat     Around the town o' Layfayette;     I've saw a many a County-seat     I ust to think was hard to beat:     At constant dreenage and expense     I've worked Greencastle and Vincennes -     Drapped out o' Putnam into Clay,     Owen, and on down thataway     Plum into Knox, on the back-track     Fer home ag'in - and glad I'm back!     I've saw these towns, as I say - but     They's none 'at beats old Terry Hut!     It's more'n likely you'll insist     I claim this 'cause I'm prejudist,     Bein' born'd here in ole Vygo     In sight o' Terry Hut; but no,     Yer clean dead wrong! And I maintain     They's nary drap in ary vein     O' mine but what's as free as air     To jest take issue with you there!     'Cause, boy and man, fer forty year,     I've argied ag'inst livin' here,     And jawed around and traded lies     About our lack o' enterprise,     And tuk and turned in and agreed     All other towns was in the lead,     When - drat my melts! They couldn't cut     No shine a-tall with Terry Hut!     Take even, statesmanship, and wit,     And ginerel git-up-and-git,     Old Terry Hut is sound clean through!     Turn old Dick Thompson loose, er Dan     Vorehees - and where's they any man     Kin even hold a candle to     Their eloquence? And where's as clean     A fi-nan-seer as Rile' McKeen -     Er puorer, in his daily walk,     In railroad er in racin' stock!     And there's 'Gene Debs - a man 'at stands     And jest holds out in his two hands     As warm a heart as ever beat     Betwixt here and the Jedgement Seat!     All these is reasons why I putt     Sich bulk o' faith in Terry Hut.     So I've come back, with eyes 'at sees     My faults, at last, to make my peace     With this old place, and truthful' swear -     Like Gineral Tom Nelson does,     "They hain't no city anywhere     On God's green earth lays over us!"     Our city government is grand -     "Ner is they better farmin'-land     Sun-kissed" as Tom goes on and says -     "Er dower'd with sich advantages!"     And I've come back, with welcome tread,     From journeyin's vain, as I have said,     To settle down in ca'm content,     And cuss the towns where I have went,     And brag on ourn, and boast and strut     Around the streets o' Terry Hut!