I even got the chicken liver, oranges, and all of them gave me everything they had that I wanted--I must almost have died to make them act like that! Laddie and father would take me up wrapped in blankets and hold me to rest my back.

Father would rock me and sing about "Young Johnny," just as he had when I was little.

We always laughed at it, we knew it was a fool song, but we liked it.

The tune was smooth and sleepy-like and the words went: "One day young Johnny, he did go, Way down in the meadow for to mow.
Li-tu-di-nan-incty, tu-di-nan-incty, noddy O! He scarce had mowed twice round the field, When a pesky sarpent bit him on the heel, Li-tu-di-nan-incty, tu-di-nan-incty, noddy O! He threw the scythe upon the ground, An' shut his eyes, and looked all round, Li-tu-di-nan-incty, tu-di-nan-incty, noddy O! He took the sarpent in his hand, And then ran home to Molly Bland, Li-tu-di-nan-incty, tu-di-nan-incty, noddy O! O Molly dear, and don't you see, This pesky sarpent that bit me?
Li-tu-di-nan-incty, tu-di-nan-incty, noddy O! O Johnny dear, why did you go, Way down in the meadow fot to mow?
Li-tu-di-nan-incty, tu-di-nan-incty, noddy O! O Molly dear, I thought you knowed 'Twas daddy's grass, and it must be mowed, Li-tu-di-nan-incty, tu-di-n an-incty, noddy O! Now all young men a warning take, And don't get bit by a rattlesnake.
Li-tu-di-nan-incty, tu-di-nan-incty, noddy O!" All of them told me stories, read to me, and Frank, one of my big gone-away brothers, sent me the prettiest little book.

It had a green cover with gold on the back, and it was full of stories and poems, not so very hard, because I could read every one of them, with help on a few words.