The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1871-07-27
OVER THE HILL TO THE POOR
HOUSE.
BY WILL NJ. CARLTON.

HOUSE.
BY WILL NJ. CARLTON.
Over the hill to the poor house, I'm trudging my
weary way,
l, woma1 of seventy, and only a trife gray
l who am smart an clipper, for all the ears I've
told,
AS many an other woman that's not half as old.
Over the hill to the poor house, can't quit,
make it clear,
Over the hill to the poor house-it seems so hor
lid queer
Many step I've taken a toilin' to and fro,
Bar this is sort of journey never thought to go
What f. the use of heapin' on ME Il paper,
shame:
Am lazy or crazy? am blind or lame:
True, am not so supple, nor yet so awful stout
But charity amt favor, if can live without
l am williE' and anxious an ready any day
To work for decent Twin an pay my honest
way;
For can earn my victuals, an more too I'll be
bound,
If anybOdy only is wilin' to have me round.
Once was young and han 'some-I was, upon my
soul
Once my checks was roses nv ewes as black AZ
coal;
And | can't remember in them days, of hearn
people say.
For any kind OF reason, that was in their way
'Taint no of boastin or talkin' over free,
ID
Many a han some offer had from likely men.
And nobody ever limited that WAS burden then
And then to JohnI was married, sure he wae
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
And worked the beet that could in trying 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;
Til we had halfa dozen, and all grOwed clean and
And went to school like others, and had enough
10 eat.
So we worked for the childrn and raised them
every one,
Worked for EN- summer an winter just az we
ought tove done,
Only perhaps we humOred EN- which some good
But every couples childr'n's heap the best to
to them.
Strange how much We think of our blessed little
ones,
Ic have died for my daughters, I'D have died for
my sons
We're old and gray,
I've noticed il sometimes somehow fails IN work
the other wov
Strange. another thing: when orr bows and girls
WAS grown.
And when -vcentir, Charley ,hey,d Ioft rs thor.
And john he nearer an nearer come an, doarer
The Lord ofHosts uo CANA o,o dow on, tool,
hin, o,,o,, rro,,, ~,
Still was houpd n struogIa and never n c,irge
ort,u-
NV M
And C,orr,,, mos. ,,.,.t+,. c,ood .. ,, u;,h,,. ,
word or frown
1riI at last bo wont q oo,,r,;, and br,,,or. ;r
from town
She WAS somewhat drossv and bad,pta nIoosont
She vos ante conce,tv On, c.rried bo.n ~ silvia.
know
pm. sh,, ,,,a, had o,,. ,,, ,r,,,,,,,.
il 90.
She had an edication ana that was oood for ber
P"t "'"~-- oh" twi-t"d ~" ~'i"- 49,
rying things too fur;
made her sick,
Ihat never swallowed grammar, or ct Il rith-
metick.
SO twas only a few days before the thing was
done
one;
Aud very little cottage one family will do,
Butt have never seen house that was big
enough for two.
An never could speak to suit her, never could
suit her eye,
And it made me independent, an then | didn't
But was terribly staggered an felt it like blow
When Charley turned agin me, and told me
could go.
Invent to live with Susan, Susan's house was
small
And she was always limiting how snug it was for
all;
with children three,
Twas easy to discover there was mt room for me.
An then went to Thomas the eldest son I've
got,
For Thomas's buildings d cover half of an acre
lot;
~ ,h ho'' 1alu "e'U IL 'n'iiN ""s 'oihin