The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-07-20
lovER THE Hnnro THE POOR HOUSE
BY WILL N. cARLEToN.

OVER THE HnLTo THE POOR HOUSE
BY WILL NJ. CARLETON
Over the hill to the poor house I'm tradgin' my
/. a woman of seventy. and only trihe gray
l. who am smart am cipher, for all the years L Se
As many another woman that's only half as old
Over the hill to the poor house-I can't quite
Over the hill to the poor house-it seems so hor-
Many a step I'vc taken toilin' to and fro,
But this is a sort of journey never Thought to
80
What is the use of heapin' on me pauper's
Am lazy or crazyG am blind or lame?
True, am not so supple, nor yet so awful stout
But charity amt no favor, if one can live with
out
am wiIlin' am anxious an ready any day
To work for decent livin' an pay an honest
For can earn my victuals, am more, too, I'll be
If any body only is willin' to have me round.
Once my cheeks vas roses. my eyes as black as
And 1 can't remember. in them days, of hearin'
For pi any kind of reason, that was in their
way
Tain't no use of boastin', or talkin' over free.
But many house an home was open then to
Many han'some offer had from likely nen,
And nobody ever limited that was burden
then ssss ~. Il
And when to John was married. sure he was
But he and all my neighbors would own done
my part
For life was all before me. an was young an
And worked the best that could in tryin' to
get along.
And SO we worked together; and life was hard,
With now and then baby for to cheer us on our
Till we had half a dozen, an. all growed clean
And went to school like others, an had enough
TO eat. i'~
Worked for em summer am winter, just as we
Only perhaps we humored 'em, which some good
But every couples childr'n,s heap the best to
them.
Strange how much we think of our blessed little
I'd have died for my daughter. I'd have died for
And God He made that rule of love; but when
we're old and gray, ~
I've noticed it sometimes fails to work the other
way. -
Strange, another thing: when our boys an girls
was grown.
And; when. exceptin' Charley, they'd left us
When John he nearer an nearer come, and dear
The Lord of Hosts he came one day an took
him away from me.
still was bound to struggle, and never to cringe
Still worked for Charley, for Charley was my
And Charley was pretty good to me, with scarce
a word or frown, I
Till at last he went courtin', and brought a
She was somewhat dressy, an hadn't pleasant
She was quite coneeity. and carried a heap o.
But Il ever tried to be friends, did with her,
But She was; hard and proud. an I couldn't make
it go.
She had an edication. and that was good for her;
But when she twitted me on mine. that was car
AM told her once, fore company (an' it almost
make her sick), -
That never swallowed grammar, or ct a 'rith-
metic.
So twas only few days before the thing was
They was family of themselves. and another
one; sss5a .ss,sl esssS
But never have seen a house that was big
enough for two.
An never could speak to suit her, never could
AM it made me Independent, an then didn't
But was terribly staggered. an, felt it like a
When Charley turned agin me, and told me 1
could go. s.5 - 80 7o1
I went to live with Susan, but susan's house was
And she was always hintin' how snug it was for
al -