Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1901 — “JOHNNY SAYS THUMBS UP.” [ARTICLE]

“JOHNNY SAYS THUMBS UP.”

So every evenin’ me an’ maw an’ paw an' Jim an' Ned, Jess ’fore we all got tired an’ was hustled off to bed. We’d draw our cheers up t’ th’ tire an’ paw 'd take his place And say t’ us 'ith jess th’ solemnestest sort of face: “Johnny says thumbs up!” Ah’ Ned'd sortersniggeran‘ Jim’d gigßle out. An’ everybody’d holler when maw got turned about, An’ ’stead o’ turning up her thumbs she’d turn ’em t’other way— Somehow er nuther maw c’d never learn jess how t’ play “Johnny says thumbs up!” An’ when our paw says “Thumbs down!” maw was certain sure t' miss, An she d alius stop our laffin’ ’ith a hug an* 'en a kiss; Somehow I alius kinder thought 'at maw was playin’ lame Jess t' keep us children interested in th’ little game O' “Johnny says thumbs up!” One night maw didn’t come t’ play th’ game an'en paw said| “ ~; —— At maw was feelin’ poorly an’ was upstairs sick in bed; An’ 'bout a week er so th’ doctor called paw t’ th' door An' said 'at maw was dyin’ an' she wouldn't play no more “Johnny says thumbs upT’ ’N 'en paw took sick, an’ when he’d been in bed about a week Th’ nurse she come an’ told us all that he would like to speak Ith us, an’ when we went up he was lyin’ on th’ bed, " An' he cried, an’ put his hands out on the comfort when he said: ’ “Johnny says thumbs up!” ’N ’en he jess turned oyer, an' th’ nurse she felt his head An’ 'en his wrist, an’ 'en she told t i' doctor he was dead; ’N 'en some people come an took us children all away T’ a great big orphan 'sylum. where theycan’t nobody play "Johnny says thumbs up!" I'd give a million dollars jess t’ play another game 'lth maw an' paw an' Jim an’ Ned, an' everything th' same; An’ t' see maw alius turn her thumbs th’ wrongest kind q’ way When we d draw our.cheers up t’ th’ tire ’n ’en begin t’ play ••Johnny says thumbs up!" Denver Rost.