The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-11-30
amaBoD GREEN:
EY cHARLEs 5. pIoKINseN.

BT CHARLES S. DICKINSON
Young Jeliabod Green was a green Yankee lad.
He lived in the Green Mountain state,
His age was sixteen. and the neigh5oTS az said
He was destined TO nlahts something great
He could figure and write : respectable hand.
In short. though IMMERSED in the Ways Of the
Young ikey was nofody,s fool.
:. IN tell re what MS now said Ike to himself
While at work in the meadow one day.
There's no use taikin TO Uncle and Aunt:
They won't hear 4 word that say
They tell me to wait till come txenty-one,
And then i may 70 where please;
But till then they want me 10 work on the farm
And help TO make butter and eheese:
Vow I'd like to know how chaps goin t9learn
or make any sort Of a mark
by digsin' pertaters and swingin, the scythe,
Alihis life time, from morGin It'll dsifk
In spring and in summer were driven will
And 'tisn't much better in fsil,
A few weeks in winter is ali tharEe have,
70 git any learning At ALL
Now think that learning is good for US all;
And Uncle declares that 1t ain,t.
He tells nle that I've got enough for my good;
But I'm pretty sure that L hain't.
I viii not be hard against Uncle and Aunt, z
i For they've always treated me kind;
But then they are getting along into years,
Their notions are somewhat behind
know it will hurt them if I leave the farm.
| And sometimes think that IN stay;
But then comes the thought. how much more
With a good edncation in play
know all. the neighbors viii hold up fheii
And call ne shiftless young fool:
But that doesn't matter: L We made up my mind
Next week shall start off for SCHOOL,
That evening when key had finished his work
And seated himself in the door. 49,
He spoke of his scheme TO his L ncle and Aunt
| And asked their approval once more ~
The worthy old couple looked down on the lad
And smiled when he mentioned his plan,
s.'Tis silly ideei said his AUNT, : deelarea
L thought you was more Of man Y ga
"I'm sorry said Ikey. that you are 50 of. E
Butthen, I'm determined to 60.
And Uncle, depend ont, I'll surely come bck
Such man as you'll both Ike to know
hope you'll not hate me, or think of me harsh
Because don't do as you want,
Ills hard very hard not TO please yo1fin this
Iwish that L could,-bat can't. @ 3,
I'm not really needed to work on tbe farm,
There's Jamie. and Levi and Fred;
Besides you remember my nlether's last words
'' Let him go if he wants to- she said. 5Ai
"well. well" said his Uncle. s'since you are 81
1 suppose you win go hit or miss: w sfl
But mind yon, shan't give Fon money to waste
ON any such nonsense as this"
And so key started. bare-footed and dressed
In his best Sunday trousers and hat, r..
| 4 hundred long wearisoue miles lay before,
B ut he was not daunted at that. -
Five dollars in cash, and a bundle of clothes,
High aims, and resolute Will;
with these, key Green left his friends at tl{
a nd passed out of sight o'er the hiil.
Through sunshine and ran,-hardly stopping t
Our hero trudged on all alone, ID
What cared he for dust. or the dew of the GigEti
The prize would repay him, when Won
Now Ike had. determined to work his way
Ana graduate clear of all debt. 5 ~
The course he should tax to accomplish this enc
Was wholly uncertain as YETI yaFis .
But a will and a way go together they say, re
And certainly Ike foudd it SO; r..
He had been in the school hardly twenty-foul
Ere he found all the work he could do. -
There were letters TO carry, and gardens tt
Besides there was wood to be sawed; ~
And key did all with such good -natured zeal,
That has schools could not bne applaud. s
oft-times he was tempted to yield to the wrong
Some pleasures were hard to forego; =
But Ike had resolved that hes never says 37es,'
When duty and conscience said :. No.''aF
I k ,ow in these times when an good people
Sal IKE Ike = me day to a friend,
d ~ t16e9gh egfhss Who fsnSe Enowy ' Mhefe twill
endf
I never was liven to usin, the weed. y
Or swearin'. on c,1Inkln' q drop;
| And Pm pretty sure if never begin,
shan't have the trouble to stop.'
The bright days of school-life have passed like
The hard work at college is o,er.
And Ichabod Green at the end Of ten years,
| Sits again at the old kitchen door.
The three years succeeding the close of hi:
Have brought him snug little sum;
He has taught in the college, besides reading
And An i'1ei returns clear of debt to his home.
But where are Aunt Polly and rough Uncle
John? a.E
Where's roguish young Jim,-and the rest?
All Jim's in the cflurch-yard, and Fred's gone
While Levi has moved to the West.
Uncle John and Aunt Polly are both on the
The homestead itself has been sold,
And Ichabod sits all alone in the door,
where he sat on that evening of old e-
s'I hope it's through no fault of mine,'' ne ex.
claimed,
lnaI maIterS nave turned as tney ave.
Ills strange, very strange, that Levi and Fred
should each of them prove such knaye. 3i
Their own children too. All. well, Pm resolved
The farm shall be mine in year. s5G
Yes, Uncle and Aunt shall come back to the
home
Which to them is so sacred and dear,,'
And Ichabod Green was as good as his word,
The year saw the old couple back
g All, key, my boy,'' sobbed the grateful old
man, m
God can pay you, but not Uncle Jaclz.''
Twenty years have elapsed. the old house is
gone.
On It's ruins new one is seen. te
The home of refinement, OF comfort and love =
'Tis the mansion of Ichabod Green:
The lawyer, the statesman the farmer the aaan
The boy with the resolute will,
Who thirty years since, with his bundle OF
+ clothes, -
Started bare footed off up the hill.