HI AND SI OF JAYTOWN (At The Circus)

Steve Porter & Byron G. Harlan - 1912


Way last summer, I think it was in May
Ol' Si Hubbard to me did say
"They say there's a circus comin' to town
Suppose you and I go see the clown"

So we sold our barley, our oats and our corn
In fact, we almost cleaned out our barn
And with that money bought us two new suits
High top hats and red top boots

And when that circus came to town
Si and I were the first ones at the ground
Si says to I, "Let's go get tight
Tear down the tents, let's start a fight"

"Not much" says I, "We'll raise no feud"
For I was afraid of the old 'hay rube'
So Si proposed some red lemonade
And some goober peas, for which I paid

'Twas a jolly good cuss who kept that store
We thought when he asked us to have some more
"Oh, I like you boys for straight
Don't stand back, for I'll stand treat"

So Si and I both pitched right in
And how we ate indeed was a sin
But when we turned to go away
We heard that goldarn sharker say

"Four dollars here, you rubes, don't wait
Get off to the sideshow or you'll be late"
So Si and I paid that cash like a darn fool cuss
And off to the sideshow we did rush

The sights we seen within that show
Was enough to turn your whiskers green
Tattooed men all covered with ink
A dog-faced boy called the missing link

Si didn't know that a parrot could talk
'Til he up and called him a country gawk
So Si got mad and flew in a rage
He knocked that goldarn bird clear out of his cage