Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-06-23
Selected Miscellany.
OVER THE HILL TO THE POOR.
HOU USE.

BY WILL NJ. CARLETON
ovEs the hill to the poor-house I'm trudein' my
I, woman Of seventy, and only triae 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 poor housc--I can't quite make
over the hil to the -house--t seems so horrid
Many step i've taken toilin, to and fro.
But this is sort OF journey never thought to
go.
What is the use Of heapin' on me a paupers
Am lazy or craEyf an. hind or lame,
Irue' ston1 ! am not 30 supple, nor yet go awful
But charity ain mo favor, if one can live with.
Il AZ, wilin' and axious an ready any day
90 work for a decent lyin,' an pay my honest
For can earn my vlctuals, an more too, I'll be
If anybody only is willin' to have me round.
onee was young and han'sOmo-T was upon my
Once my cheeks was roses, my eyes as black as
coal;
And can't remember in them days, of hearin'
For any kind of reason, that was in their way.
'Taint no use OF boastin', OF talkin' over free,
But many n 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 was
Bat he aud all the neighbor would own 1 done
For life was all before me, an was young an
And worked the best that could in tryin' to get
along.
And we worked together: and life was hard,
with now and then baby for to cheer us on our
TIL we had half dozen, an all growed clean an
neat,
An went to school like others, an had enough to
eat.
30 we worked for the chidrn, and raised 'em
every one;
Worked for 'em summer and winter just as we
ought TO we done;
Only, perhaps, we humored 'em, which some good
But every couples childrns heap the best to
them. q
Strange how much we think of our blessed little
onesi-
I'd have died for my daughters, I have died for my
And God he made that rule of love; but when
were old and gray,
I've noticed 1t sometimes somehow falls to work
the other way.
Strange, another thing when our boys an girls
And when, exceptn' Charley, they'd left us there
alone;
When John he nearer an nearer come, an dearer
The Lord of Hosts he come one day an took him
away from me-
Still was bound to struggle, an never to cringe
or fall
Still worked for Charley, Tor Charley was now
my all;
And Charley was pretty good to me, with scarce
word or frown,
TIL at last he went a-courtin', and brought wife
from town.
She was somewhat dressy, an hadn't pleasant
She was quite conceity, and carried heap o.
style;
But If ever tried to be friends, did with her,
But she was hard and proud, an | couldn't make
9 itgo.
But when she twltted me on mine, twas carryin'
An told her once, fore company IAN it almost
That never swallowed a grammar, or et 'rlth.
metic.
So, twas only few days before the thing wa;
done
They was a family of themselves, and another
one;
And a very little cottage one family wAl do,
But never have seen house that was big enough
for two.
An Inever could speak to suit her, never could
please her eye,
An it made me independent, and then 1 didn't
But wss terribly staggered, an felt it like {
When Charley turned eg'in me, an told me
could go.
Invent to live with Susan but susan's house was
And she was always a-hiutin' how snug 1t was fol
MS all;
And what with her husbands sisters, and wha
with ehildrn three,
Twas easy to discover that there wasn't room fo
me.
An then I went to Thomas, the Oldest son I'v,
For Thomas's buildings ID cover half of an acr
But ali the child'rn was on mel couldn't stan,
their sauce
And Thomas said l needn't think was comm ther
to boss.
An then wrote to Rebecca, my girl who live
And to Issac, not far from her-some twenty mile
at best;
And one OF 'em said twas too warm there for an!
one so old,
And t'other had an opinion the climate was to,
cold.
So they have shirked and slighted me, an shiftet
me ABOUT
so they have well-nigh soured me, an wore m,
But still rye boRe up pretty we'll an wasn't muc
put down,
Till Charley went to the poor-master, an put m
on the town.
Over the hill to the poor.house-my child'rn dear
good-byi
Many night I've watched you when only Co
was nigh;
And God II Judge between us; but 1 will aray
spray
That You shell never suffer the half do to-day.
81 -Adrper's Weekly