Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-07-08

Over the Hill to the Poor House.
BY WILL VI. CARLTON.

BY WILL VI. CARLTON.
Over the hill to the poor.house Pm trudgng my
weary way
l. a woman of seventy, and only trife gray
l. who am smart an clipper, for all the years Fve
told,
AS many another woman that's only half as old.
Over the hill to the poor house-I can't quite make
it clear
Over the hill to the poor.house-it seems so horrid
queeri
Many step I've taken a toilin' to and fro,
But this is sort Of journey never thought to 60
What is the use OF heapin' on me paupers shame
Am lazy or crazy? am blind or lame2
True, am not SO supple, nor yet so awful stout;
But charity amt favor, il one can live without.
am willin' and anxious an ready any day
To work for a decent livin', an pay my honest way
For can earn my vctuals, an more too, III be
bound ..
If anybody only is willin' to have me round.
Once was young and han'some-I was, upon my
Once my cheeks was roses, my eyes as black as
coal;
And / can't remember in them days, of hearn peo-
pie say,
For any kind of reason, that was in their way.
Tant no use of beastin', or talkin' over free
But many house an home was open then to me;
Many a han'some offer had from likely men,
And nobody ever hinted that was u burden then.
And when to John | was married, sure he was good
and smart,
But he and all the neighbors would own done my
part;
For life was all before me, an l was young an
strong,
And worked the best could in tryin' to get along.
And so we worked together and life was hard, but
gay,
With now and then baby for to cheer us ON our
way;
Till we had half dozen, an all growed clean an
neat
An went to school like others, an had enough to
eat.
So we worked for the chillr'n and raised them
every one;
Worked for 'em summer and winter, just as we
ought to'ye done;
Only perhaps we humored 'em, which some good
folks condemn,
But every couples childr'n's heap the best to
them.
Strange how much we think of our blessed little
onesi-
I'd have died for my daughters, Pd have died for
my sons;
And God he made that rule of love; but when we
were old and gray,
I've noticed sometimes somehow fails to work the
other way.
Strange, another thing When our boys an girls
was grown,
And when, exceptin' Charley, they'd left us there
alone
When John he nearer an nearer come, an dearer
seemed to be,
The Lord of Hosts he come day an took him
away from me.
Still was bound to struggle, an never to criuge or
fall
Still l worked Tor Charley, for Charley was now
my all;
And Charley was pretty goodto me, with scarce a
word or irOwn,
Till at last he went a-courtn and brought wife
from town.
She was somewhat dressy, an hadn't pleasant
She quite conceity, and carried heap o. style
But if ever / tried to be friends, did with her, l
know:
But she was hard ana proud, an couldn't make II
She had an eddication, an that was good for her;
But when she twitted me on mine, twas carryin
things too fur,
An told her once, fore company (an it almost
made her sick,)
That never swallowed grammar, or ct 'rith-
metic
So twas only few days before the thing was
done
They was a family of themselves, and another
And very little cottage for one family will do,
But never have seen a house that was big enough
for two.
An never could speak to suit her, never could
please her eye,
An IL made me independent, an then didn't try.
But was terribly staggered an felt it like blow,
When Charley turned agin me, an told me could
go.
went to live with Susan, but Susan's house was
small
And she was always a hintin' how snug it was for
us all;
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