Early Song of the Lazy Farmer

Reader Contribution by Sam Moore
Published on March 1, 2012
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I thought the Song of the Lazy Farmer only appeared in farm papers during the late 1940s and early ’50s, but apparently he was writing a decade or so earlier as a couple of his offerings from 1930 and 1931 just turned up in my collection.

First, in the American Agriculturist from May 17, 1930 is this ode to the old boy’s favorite cat.

Today I told Mirandy that I can’t see no use in a cat.
They’re always somewhere under foot, and when you put them out they scoot
Between your feet, already then they’re back inside the house again.
I’m busy for an hour, about, before I get that cat put out;
My patience all is gone afore I git that cat outside the door.
Then that old cat sits there and mews, you’d think in winter she would choose
To go out to the barn and stay, but that cat never hits the hay.
She’s allus figgerin’ some scheme to get her whiskers in the cream;
She comes around at milkin’ time, the milk she steals is sure a crime.
She gits her head into the pail, and if a cow steps on her tail,
She claws that cow until, by gee, the old cow climbs all over me. 

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