"Grandfather's Chaise" (1878)
Words and Music by
Hiram T. Merrill

Chicago: H. T. MERRILL
[Source: 15600@LoC]

1. My grandfather’s chaise I shall never forget,
Although many years have gone by,
Since grandfather rode into town with his pet,
And I was his pet by the by,
I think it was six years that grandpa and I,
Rode to town almost every day,
With trusty old Joe that was sixteen hands high—
And his color was called iron gray.

[CHORUS sung after each verse]
Teeter, teeter, teeter, teeter,
teetter, teeter, teeter, teeter,
teeter, teeter,
Oh don’t be amazed,
Teeter, teeter, teeter, teeter,
teetter, teeter, teeter, teeter,
teeter, teeter,
It’s grandpa’s chaise.

2. Now grandfather’s chaise was as broad as an ark,
And strong as a sturdy old oak,
The children would fill it like filling a cart,
We thought it could never be broke,
But time, rolling on, as it’s rolling on now,
Showed us how the chaise would decay,
And grandfather’s steps and his white furrowed brow,
Told us too, he was passing away.

3. So one night as grandpa was riding from town,
Just ten years ago to a day,
That proudest old chaise, creaking, snapped and broke down,
And grandpa that night passed away,
I love the old chaise more than ever before,
Though it stands alone in the barn,
I treasure it now as in glad days of yore—
’Tis the dearest thing now on the farm.