De-ah kith'n kin,,

Hush up now, why doncha?! Lord 'a'' mercy, chi'rens! Y'r a' takin' on so, its a'lahk to make 'n ol' gal blush. W'll, Ah reckon Ah cain't play 'possum n' more -- Joe's done 'vestigated 'n' a'fount me out! Bin down some, 'n' thet's a fac,' but not quaht yit alt'githah cross't ovah.

Truth t' tell, t'were a raht sorry winnah. Hed th' coughin' fits lahke t' blow m' brains t' Kingdom Come, fer mos' thet whole tahme. Dang fool med'cin the doc done gimme fer th' tickah, nigh onta kilt th' las' ol' squeak uv a sengin' vaw-ice Ah hed lef'!! Should 'a'' guv 't up an' laid me down awl peaceful 'n' p'lite. Not much in livin' 'th outcha k'n seng nuthin'! But some folks iz jes' too orn'ry t' quit a fahght jes' a'cause it dun bin los'.

Couldn't haul mah sorry se'f down t' th' Mudcat, nuther. Jes' would'a made me wawna seng thet much a'wuss. But Spreng's a'comin' an' even th' olt crittahs ez a' gittin' frisky. An the doc done gimme some fancy new-fangled stuff, so Ah 'uz feelin' a mite more spry jes' a' lately. An' wun'tcha jes' know it, but a'fore Ah could git th' ol' pahpes a' runnin' smooth, heah 'long come Joe an' bus' in t' mah kitchen, gwine t' set up all nahght 'n seng hissef' t' glory.

So Ah done whut eny dang ol' fool woulda done; 'n' set about t' squawkin' rahght along wit' 'im. An' 'ceppin' he done wrote none too kinely 'bout mah fellah's keepin' mos'ly quiet, we done hed a natch'l fine ol' tahme, 'f Ah do say so, mahsef,' spaht a mah croakin' wuss'n a big ol' bullfrog. (Th' man done toltcha he cain't carry no tune t' save 'iz soul, Joe, Whatcha wawnt 'im t' do, frahght th' whole evah-lovin' county?!)

Ah reckon Ah'll a'hattah stah-ut lookin' in agin, jes' t' see whatch'all done done t' th' place, sence Ah'uz las' 'roun' y'all heathin' folk heah. Thet's 'bout awl they iz; git along now, Rabbit, 'n' play sump-um purty.

G-d bless, 'n' y'all come, doncha heah?

Shula