I found these lyrics in a book called The Phono-bretto, 1919, page 152.


PURPOSTUS
Words by Henry D. King, music by Bert Williams, ©1915.

Has you ever met de lady or de interlexual man
Dat talks 'bout raisin' chillun on some new outlandish plan?
Dey tells you all your chile should have, an' all yo' chile should leave alone,
But dese chile-wise folks, we notice, mos'ly has no chillun uv dare own.
An' mind yon, de folks dey's talkin' to right den,
Has 'cumerlated chillun all de way from two to ten—
Ain't it absurb? Why, it's putty nigh purpostus!

Dere's lots of folks in dis fair lan' says things is "on da hogs"—
Says war is whut we needs or else we's goin' to de dogs.
'Cose as fuh me, I wants no war; 'tain't zackly 'cause I is skared—
But, I'se ver' much like mah country is, mos'ly—somewhut—kinder, unprepared.
An' mind you, dey all kin shout, but believe me, mate,
Tain't a bit a use in fishin', 'thout you got the proper kind a bait.
Safety first! It are absurb! It are well-nigh purpostus!