Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-07-20
FARM BALLAD.
OVER THE HILL TO THE POOR HOUSE

OVER THE HILL TO THE POOR HOUSE.
! Here i the most touching ballad, by
CARLETON, we have read for many i day.
"How sharper than serpent's tooth it is TO
have thankless child.'
Over the hill to the poor house I'm trndgin'
my weary way
L. Il woman of seventy, and only trife gray
/, who am smart an clipper, for all the wears
I've told,
As many another woman that's only half as
old.
Over the hill to the poor -house-I esn't quite
make it clear!
Over the hill to the poor -house-it seems so
horrid queer.
Many a step I've taken 4 toilin' to and fro,
But this is sort of journey never thought
TO go.
What is the use of heapen' on me pauper's
| shame?
Am lazy or crazy: am blind or lame:
True, I'm not so supple, nor yet so awful stout;
But charity amt no favor. if one can live
/ Without.
1 am willin' and anxious an ready any day
To work for a decent livin' an pay my honest
way;
For can earn nv vituals, an more too I'll
be bound,
If any body is willin to have me around.
Once was Young an han'some-I was, upon
my soul
Once my. cheeks were roses, my eyes as black
as coal;
And can't remember, in them days, of hearin'
people say,
For any kind of reason, that | was in their
way.
Taint no use of boastin', or talkin' over free,
But many house an home was open then to
me:
Many han some offer had from likely men,
And nobody ever limited that was burden
then.
And when to John was married: sure he was
good and smart,
But he and all the neighbors own done my
my part;
For life was all before me- an | was Young an
strong,
And worked the best that could in tryin' to
get along.
And so we worked together; and life was hard
but gay,
With now and then a baby to cheer us on our
way.
Till we had half a dozen, an all growed clean
and neat,
An went to school like others, an had enough
to eat.
for n, sod
every one:
ought to we done;
Only perhaps we humored 'em, which some
good folks condemn,
But every couples child'rns a heap the best to
them.
Strange how much we think of our blessed lit
tie ones!-
Fde have died for my daughters, rde have
died for my sons;
And God he made that rule of love; but when
we're old and gray,
I've noticed it sometimes somehow fails to
work the other way.
Strange, another thing; when our boys and |
girls are grown,
there alone;
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 or fail
Still worked for Charley, for Charley, was |
now my all;
And Charley was pretty good TO me, with scarce |
aword or frown,
Till at last he went acourtin', and brought |
She was somewhat dressy, an hadn't pleas |
ant smile
She was quite conceity, and carried heap Of
style;
But if ever tried to be friends, did with her,
know;
But she was hard and proud, IAN l couldn't
make it go. 80
She had an education, an that was good for
her; SEQ
But when she twitted me on mine, twas car
ryin' things too fur;
And told her once, fore company lam it al
most made her sick.
That never swallowed a grammer,or 'et
rithmeiic.
So twas only a few days before the thing was
done
They was a family ofthemselves, ,and another
>one;
And very little cottage one family will do.
But never seen house that was big enough
for two.
And never could speak to suit her, never
could please her eye,
And it made me independent, and then didn't
try;
But was terribly staggered, an felt it like
blow, --s4.
When Charley turned ag'in me, an told me
could go.
l went to live with Susan, but susan's house
was small, ]
And she was always a hintin' how snug it was
for us all;
And what with her husbands sisters, and what
with children three,
Twas easy to discover that there wasn't room
for me.
And then went to Thomas the oldest SON Pve
got,
For Thomas building covered the half of an
acre lot;
But all the children was on mel couldn't
stand their sauce
A nd Thomas said needn't think was COM
ing there TO boss.
out West,
A 4 60.
miles at best;
any one so old,
A nd other had an opinion the climate was too
cold.
So they had shirked and slighted me- an shift
edme about
So they have well nigh soured me an wore my
old heart out;
But still I've bore up pretty well, an wasn't
much put down,
Till Charley went to the poor-master an put
Over the hill to the poor -house-my child'rn
dear, good-by!
Many night I've watched youwhen only God
was nigh;
And God'llju Judge between us; but will always
pray
day.
A married lady who was in the
habit of spending most of her time
in the society of her neighbors, hap
pened one day to be taken ill, and
sent her husband in great haste for
a physician. The husband ran a
short distance, and then returned