The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-06-23
Over the Hill to the Poor.House.
BY WILL NJ. CARLETON.

WILL NJ CARLETON,
Over the hill TO the poor-house I'm rudgn my weary
aw"man of seventy. and only trine gray
l. who am smart an clipper for all the years I've
As many another woman that's only half as old
Over the hill TO the poorhouse-I can't quite make it
over the hill to the poor-heuse-it seems horrid
Many step I've taken a.toilin' to and fro.
But this Is a sort ofJourney never thought TO CO.
What is the use of heapin' on me paupers shame?
Am lazy or crazy 2 am blind or lamel
True, ! am not so supple nor yet so awful stout,
But charity amt no favor II one can live without
am willin and anxious an ready any day
To work for decent Twin, an pay my honest way;
For 1 can earn my victuals, an more too, I'll be
If any body only iswillin' to have me round
Once was young and han'some-I was, upon my
Once my cheeks was roses, my eyes as black as coa
And can't remember, in them days of hearin people
For any kind of reason. that was in their way
faint TO use of boastin or talkin' over free,
But many a house an home was open then to me-
Many handsome offer had from likely men,,
And nobody ever limited that was burden then.
And when to John was married, sure he good
But he aud all the neighbors would own done my
For life was all before me- an was young an strong
And worked the best that could in tryn' to get
along.
And worked together; and life was hard, but
With now and then baby for to cheer us on our
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 childrn, and raised em every
Worked for em summer and winter, just as we ought
10 We done;
Only perhaps we humored EN- which some good folks
condemn,
But every couples childrns aheap the best to them
Strange how much we think of our blessed little
I'd have died for my daughters. I'd have died for my
And God he made that rule of love; but when we're
I've noticed it sometimes somehow fails to work the
other way.
Strange, another thing: when boys an girls
And when exceptin' Charley, they'd left us there
When John he nearer an nearer come and dearer
seemed To be.
The Lord of Hosts he come one day an took him away
from me.
Still was bound to struggle. an never to cringe
Still worked for Charley for Charley was now my all:
And Charley was pretty good to me- with scarce word
Till at last he went a-courtin', and brought a wife
from town.
She was somewhat dressy an hadn't pleasant smile
She was quite concey, and carried heap o. style;
Bat II ever tried to be friends, | did with her,
But she hard and proud and couldn't make it 60
She had an ,edication, an that was good for her;
But when she twted me on mine twas carryin' things
An told her once, fore company Can it almost made
her sick)
That 1 never swallowed grammar, or 'et a 'rthmetic
So twas only few days before the thing was done
they was family OF themselves and another one;
And very little cottage family will do
But never have seen a house that big enough
for two.
An never could speak to suit her. never could please
An il made me independent an then didn't try;
But was terribly staggered, an felt il like a blow
When Charley turned ag in me, an told me could GO
/ went 70, live with Susan but Susan's house was
small,
And she always a-hintin' how snug it was for us
all;
And what with her husbands sisters and what with
chid'rn three
Twas easy to discover that there wasn't room for me-
An then went to Thomas. the oldest son I've got
For Thomas's buildings ID cover the half OF acre
lot:
But all the child'rn on mel couldn't stand their
And Thomas said needn't think 1 was comm there
10 boss.
An then wrote to Rebecca. my girl who lives out
West
And to Isaac not far from her-some twenty miles at
best
And of 'em said twas too warm there for any one
old,
And t'other had opinion the climate was too cold
So they have shrked and sighted me- an shifted me
about
So they have well-nigh soured me, an worn my old
heart out;
But still I've borne up pretty WELL an wasn't much
put down,
Till Charley went to the poormaster, an put me on
the town.
over the hill to the poor-house-my chd'rn DEAR
good-by
Many night I've watched you when only God was
nigh:
And God II Judge between us but will alays pray
That you shall never suffer the half do to-day.
-Harper'S Weekly. June II.