Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-05-05
POETRY.
wWhem Was Young 3,

on WHAT THE OLD WOMAN TO HER DAUGHTER
There is vast deal of truth, and good deal of jim
gle if not much poetry in the following lines, from the
Olive Branch.
One summer eve ehanced to pass, where by the cot
tagc gate,
An aged woman in the town. sat grooming to her mate;
The frost OF on her brow ITS dnness IN her eye,
And her bent figure to and fro, rocked all uconsciously
The frost of age on her brow-yet garrulous her
tongue,
As she compared the d0lngs notc, with those when she
was young:
'JYhsn ,Vas yons,' young gals meek, and look d
round kind OF shy
And when they compelled to speak, they did so
modestly,
They stad at home, and did the work, made Indian
bread and wheaton,
And only TO singing school, and sometimes to night
mcctin:
And children were obedient then, they had no saucy
airs,
And minded what their mothers sad and learned hymns
But no,c- days they know enough before they know
their letters,
And young that hardly walk, will contradict
Young women no,o go kiting round, looking out for
beaux,
And scarcely one in ten found, who makes mends
her clothes
But then | tell my daughter
Folks don't do as they oush ter!
They had not ough' do as they do,
Why don't they do as they ough-ter
'Uhen ,cas young, ifa man had failed, he shut up
house and hall,
And never yentured out till night if he venturcd out at
all.
And his wife sold all her china plates,-and her sons
came home from college,
And his gals left school, and learned TO wash anu Oake
and such like knowledge,
They gave cake and pumpkin pies, and had the PLAIN
est eating,
And asked folks home to tea and scarcely went
The man that was Bankrupt called kind'r shun-
ned by men,
And hardly dared to show his head amongst his towns
folks then,
But no,o-a-days when merchant falls they say he
makes penny.
The wife don't have gown the less and his daughters
Just many;
His they smoke their choice cigars, and drink their
costly wine,
And she goes to the opera and he hos FOLKS 10 dine
He walks the streets he drives his sis-men show him
all civies,
And what ny day called debts, are now his ne
abilities
In my day twas his creditors to whom gave our
But then tell my daughter,
Folks don't do as they ough' ter.
They had not ough- ter do as they do;
Why doat they do Us they ough- ter?
'JYhen ,cas young, crime crime, it had no 9th
And when twas proved against man, he had to bear
the blame;
They called the man that stole, "a thcf-thcy wasted
no line feeung,
What folks call petty larceny in my day called
stealing;
They did not make reprobato, the theme OF song and
story,
As if the bloodcr his hands, the brighter his
glory;
And when a murder had been DONE could they the
derer find,
They hung him up they would COW, terror to his
kind
But days il to me- whenever blood is split,
The murderer has our sympathy proportioned to his
guilt;
And when the Law has proved aman to be second
Cain,
dozen Jurors can be found to bring him in Insane!
Aud then petitions will be signed, and texts OF scrip
ture twisted,
And persons will grow eloquent, and ladies nterested
Until the man who's proved to be blood thirsty
Nero,
VIII walk abroad like other men-only greater hero
But then /, l tell my daughter,
Folks doa't do as they ough'-ter;
They had not ough'- ter do they do,
Why don't they TO as they ough'-ter'