Familiar Friends

FAMILIAR FRIENDS
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There’s Tommy Jones, he lef’ this little town,
I reckon it was thirty years ago
They tell us that the boy’s got salted down
Five hundred thousand dollars cash or
Some folks say that he’s clear a millionaire,
They take their hats off when he passes by
But here we’ve got no bows or scrapes to spare
We knew him when he’s jest about so high

An’ Billy Smith-they talk a heap of him
He’s writin’ books they say is suthin’ grand
One day I know my apple tree he clim
On’ I jest lammed him till he couldn’t stand;
An’ Silas Hopkins-he’s in polities:
They tell us he’ll be President, will Si;
But both of ’em-we’re on to all their tricks-
We knew ’em when they’s jest about so high

There’s been a scad o’ boys ‘at went away
An’ somewhere’s else they’ve made a regular fuss;
They’re famous people, them outsiders say,
But that don’t make no difference to us
We reckerlect ’em when they run around
Here barefoot, one suspender all awry:
They’re not much when they strike this stampin’ ground,
We knew ’em when they’s jest about so high