PHILOSOPHY

I been t'inkin’‘ bout de preachah; whut he said de othah night,

‘ Bout hit bein’ people's dooty, fu’ to keep dey faces bright;

How one ought to live so pleasant dat ouah tempah never riles,

Meetin’ evahbody roun’ us wid ouah very nicest smiles.

Dat‘ s all right, I ai n't a-sputin’ not a t'ing dat soun's lak fac’,

But you do n't ketch folks a-grinnin’ wid a misery in de back;

An’ you do n't fin’ dem a-smilin’ w'en dey‘ s hongry ez kin be,

Leastways, dat‘ s how human natur’ allus seems to‘ pear to me.

We is mos’ all putty likely fu’ to have our little cares,

An’ I think we‘ se doin’ fus’ rate w'en we jes’ go long and bears,

Widout breakin’ up ouah faces in a sickly so't o’ grin,

W'en we knows dat in ouah innards we is p'intly mad ez sin.

Oh dey‘ s times fu’ bein’ pleasant an’ fu’ goin’ smilin’ roun’,

‘ Cause I do n't believe in people allus totin’ roun’ a frown,

But it's easy‘ nough to titter w'en de stew is smokin’ hot,

But hit's mighty ha'd to giggle w'en dey's nuffin’ in de pot.