IV PREFACE. 



we can only so shake our literary tambourine as to strike a 

 responsive chord with the hearts of the people, then our 

 labors shall not have been unrewarded. 



In this little daub of a book, we have dabbled both in verse 

 and prose, and though the structure may appear rustic and 

 uncouth, we have tried, nevertheless, to drive the nails square 

 in the wood, and if it should be said there is more truth than 

 poetry in the make-up, we shall not appeal from the verdict. 



Any way, let the effort be considered good, bad or indiffer- 

 ent, we are alone responsible ; have copied after nobody. It's 

 all home-made truck, and if critics can discover nothing but 

 our ears, we want it distinctly understood that we have not 

 assumed the disguise of the lion's skin. 



Our book is indited to the people, and we have tried in our 

 simple way to illustrate some of the scenes and customs of 

 the days of fogyism, trusting to the youth of the present day, 

 it may afford amusing portraitures of the days of "yore," and 

 to our old-time folks suggest pleasing reminiscences of the 

 "Days of Auld-Lang-Syne." 



