"She's the joy of my pride" [sic].

Second verse is:

"So early in the morning, I cut her grass, you bet,
So early in the morning, I cut her grass, you bet.
Pull up the hose, I keep her lawn all wet."

Third verse is "We eat our breakfast ... "

However, Tom was funning about the origin of the song. It was written by Clarence Williams, the black jazzman and band leader. He recorded it for Columbia, 7/20/1928, as "Farm Hand Papa," and this is where Ashley got it. Williams accompanies himself on a very rockin' piano and throws in an occasional yodel which suggests he might have just been listening to Jimmie Rodgers. (Or maybe he wrote the song to pitch to Jimmie? Would have fit right into his repertoire!) It's an excellent performance. The Tar Heels also did this for Victor in 1930, but the lyrics vary more from Williams than do those in the Ashley version. According to the CTH discography, Dock Walsh is credited as writer, and he did, at least, rewrite it some.

A Real Audio version of the song can be listened to, right here:

http://www.redhotjazz.com/williams.html

Just scroll down past the bio to "Solo Discography." It's the second piece listed there.

Joseph Scott posted this interesting song origin on the Old Time Music newsgroup, a couple of years ago.