When Lide Married Him

By James Whitcomb Riley

When Lide married him -- w'y, she had to jes dee-fy
The whole poppilation! -- But she never bat' an eye!
Her parents begged, and threatened -- she must give him up -- that he
Wuz jes a common drunkard! -- And he wuz, appearantly. --
Swore they'd chase him off the place
Ef he ever showed his face --
Long after she'd eloped with him and married him fer shore! --
When Lide married him, it wuz Katy, bar the door!

When Lide married him -- Well! she had to go and be
A hired girl in town somewheres -- while he tromped round to see
What he could git that he could do, -- you might say, jes sawed wood
From door to door! -- that's what he done -- 'cause that wuz best he could!
And the strangest thing, I jing!
Wuz, he didn't drink a thing,
But jes got down to bizness, like he someway wanted to,
When Lide married him, like they warned her not to do!

When Lide married him -- er, ruther, had ben married
A little up'ards of a year -- some feller come and carried
That hired girl away with him -- a ruther stylish feller
In a bran-new green spring-wagon, with the wheels striped red and yeller:
And he whispered, as they driv
Tords the country, Now we'll live! --
And somepin' else she laughed to hear, though both her eyes wuz dim,
'Bout trustin' Love and Heav'n above, sence Lide married him!