Classic Poem

I'd made up my mind fer sartin that Jenny (you know that she
Had named the day in her own sweet way—the day she would marry me?)
Should have the purtiest bonnet that ever the store folks made—
One that would throw a rainbow just twenty mile in the shade!

Ever seen Jenny smilin'? Ever took note of her eyes?
I tol' her a angel made 'em from little blue patches o' skies!
Jest 'peared to twinkle sunshine! an' whenever they look at me
I see jest all o' heaven that ever I hope to see!

Well, I went down thar to the city, an' I tol' the store folks plain,
I wanted the finest bonnet that ever come in on the train;
An' I paid my money fer it 'thout any contendin' words:
It wuz all fixed up with roses, an' ribbons, an' singing birds.

But now the trouble's a-comin'!—she wuz all in deep distress;
How wuz a ten-dollar bonnet to go with a caliker dress?
Mother—she kinder shook her head; said 'twould be “out o' place,”
An' Jenny, with tears a-fallin' on the roses of her face!

But her gran'ma come ter the rescue: “It's been seventy year,” says she,
“Sence I wore my weddin' dress, an' now it's good as it use to be:
I've been a-keepin' it stored away—but it saddens me now an' then;
An' seein' tomorrer's the Easter day, we'll make it over fer Jen!”

Jen throwed her arms around her 'till we heard the gran'ma say:
“Ever you see sich a silly gal? She'll smother me thataway!
Go 'long an' git yer scissors, an' all o' yer needles bright;
With a hat like that a weddin' dress is jest what'll set you right!”

An' it did! An' seein' she looked so sweet when the Easter day come 'roun',
When meetin' wuz over, the license an' the parson wuz easy foun'!
An' I ain't a-lovin' Jenny any the more, or less,
Kaze I married her Easter mornin' in gran'mother's weddin' dress!