Reminiscence

I am sitting here a dreaming
Of the years I have left behind
A look back through the yesteryears
Brings pictures to my mind

I see the little old red house
The place of my abode
And a little church and schoolhouse
Beside a country road

I can see that little old red house
It was my boyhood home
I can see the trails and pathways
Where I used to love to roam

I can see the little creeks and brooks
And I just sit here a wishing
That I could just go back to them
And in them go a fishing

Now in that little school house
Back in my younger days
We used to hold box socials
And have home talent plays

About them old box socials
That have long been out of date
Well, I just want to tell you
That they were something great

A girl would take a shoe box
Some crepe paper and some string
And she would doll that shoe box up
Till you wouldn't know that thing

And when she had it fancied up
She'd fill it up with food
She'd put in chicken, pie and cake
And everthing that's good

She'd place the lid securely on
Make sure it would not pop
And with a bow of ribbon
Place her name on the top

Each girl would fix a fancy box
And full of pep and cheer
Would take it to the school house
Where they had an auctioneer

Who auctioned off these boxes
Now it was part of the game
When he put these boxes up for bids
To withhold the maiden's name

The boys bid on these boxes
And with the maiden shared
All the food and goodies
That the maiden had prepared

Some maidens had a boyfriend
With whom they'd like to eat
So in order to accomplish this
They were inclined to cheat

She'd wave a hand or nod her head
Or raise a fluttery lid
And thus she let her boyfriend know
Just on which box to bid

So when he started in to bid
His features were so grim
The other fellows would get wise
And bid it up on him!

He would get so bleak and angry
Yet he knew that was not nice
If he wanted that there goodie box
He would have to pay the price

The money we collected
When we held these social bouts
May go into the church fund
Or to help the down and outs

Now so much for those box socials
But when all was said and done
No matter where the money went
We had a lot of fun

I spoke about a home talent
Well, back in them there days
We really put some shows on
With them old home talent plays

Now the people patronized us
For they came from miles away
They'd laugh and applaud hilariously
At the humor of our play

Now I must end this narrative
So I will say no more
Of what happened back along the trail
In the days that's gone before