Yawcob Strauss and Other Poems/Mine Moder-in-Law

by Charles Follen Adams

MINE MODER-IN-LAW.

Dheke vas many qveer dings, in dis land off der free,

I neffer could qvite understand;

Der beoples dhey all seem so deefrent to me

As dhose in mine own faderland.

Dhey gets blendy droubles, und indo mishaps,

Mitoudt der least bit off a cause;

Und, vould you pelief id? dhose mean Yangee chaps,

Dhey fights mit dheir moder-in-laws!

Shust dink off a vhite man so vicked as dot!

Vhy not gife der oldt lady a show?

Who vas id gets oup, vhen der nighdt id vas hot,

Mit mine baby, I shnst like to know?

Und dhen in der vinter, vhen Katrine vas sick,

Und der mornings vas shnowy und raw,

Who made righdt avay oup dot fire so qvick?

Vhy, dot vas mine moder-in-law.

Id vas von off dhose voman's righdts vellers, I been—

Dhere vas nodings dot's mean aboudt me;

Vhen der oldt lady vishes to run dot masheen,

Vhy, I shust lets her run id, you see.

Und vhen dot shly Yawcob vas cutting some dricks

(A block off der oldt chip he vas, yaw!),

Eef she goes for dot chap like some dousands off bricks,

Dot's all righdt! She's mine moder-in-law.

Veek oudt und veek in, id vas alvays der same,

Dot vomans vas boss off der house;

Budt, dhen, neffer mindt! I vas glad dot she came,

She vas kind to mine young Yawcob Strauss.

Und vhen dhere vas vater to get vrom der shpring,

Und fire-vood to shplit oup und saw,

She vas velcome to do id. Dhere's not anyding

Dot's too goot for mine moder-in-law.