OUR TWO OPINIONS
Eugene Field
Us two wuz boys when we fell out,--
Nigh to the age uv my youngest now;
Don't rec'lect what't wuz about,
Some small deeff'rence, I'll allow.
Lived next neighbors twenty years,
A-hatin' each other, me 'nd Jim,--
He havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_,
'Nd _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv _him_.
Grew up together 'nd would n't speak,
Courted sisters, 'nd marr'd 'em, too;
Tended same meetin'-house oncet a week,
A-hatin' each other through 'nd through!
But when Abe Linkern asked the West
F'r soldiers, we answered,--me 'nd Jim,--
_He_ havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_,
'Nd _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv _him_.
But down in Tennessee one night
Ther' wuz sound uv firin' fur away,
'Nd the sergeant allowed ther' 'd be a fight
With the Johnnie Rebs some time nex' day;
'Nd as I wuz thinkin' uv Lizzie 'nd home
Jim stood afore me, long 'nd slim,--
_He_ havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_,
'Nd _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv _him_.
Seemed like we knew there wuz goin' to be
Serious trouble f'r me 'nd him;
Us two shuck hands, did Jim 'nd me,
But never a word from me or Jim!
He went _his_ way 'nd _I_ went _mine_,
'Nd into the battle's roar went we,--
_I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv Jim,
'Nd _he_ havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_.
Jim never come back from the war again,
But I ha' n't forgot that last, last night
When, waitin' f'r orders, us two men
Made up 'nd shuck hands, afore the fight.
'Nd, after it all, it's soothin' to know
That here _I_ be 'nd yonder's Jim,--
_He_ havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_,
'Nd _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv _him_.