“HOW DID YOU REST, LAST NIGHT?”

“How did you rest, last night?” —

I've heard my gran'pap say

Them words a thousand times — that's right —

Jes them words thataway!

As punctchul-like as morning dast

To ever heave in sight

Gran'pap‘ ud allus haf to ast —

“How did you rest, last night?”

Us young-uns used to grin,

At breakfast, on the sly,

And mock the wobble of his chin

And eyebrows belt so high

And kind: “How did you rest, last night?”

We'd mumble and let on

Our voices trimbled, and our sight

Was dim, and hearin’ gone.

Bad as I used to be,

All I'm a-wantin’ is

As puore and ca'm a sleep fer me

And sweet a sleep as his!

And so I pray, on Jedgment Day

To wake, and with its light

See his face dawn, and hear him say —

“How did you rest, last night?”