The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-07-11

OVER THE HILL TO THE POOR
HOUSE,
| BY WILL NJ. CARLETON
Over the hill to the poor house I'm trudgn' my
weary way
1, woman of seventy, and only trife gray
I, who am smart an cipher, for all the years I've
told,
As many an other woman that's only half as
old.
| Over the hill to the poor house-I cant quite
make it clear
Over the hill to the poor house-it seems so
horrid queerl
Many astep I've taken toilin to and fro,
But this is sort of journey never thought to
What is the use of heapin' on me pauper's
shame?
Am lazy or crazy? am blind or lame?.
True, l am not so supple, nor yet so awful
stout.
But charity amt no favor if one can live with
out ..
I am willin' an anxious an ready any day
To work for decent livin' an pay my own
way;
For can earn my victuals, an more, too, I'll be
bound,
If anybody only is willin' to have me round,
Once I was young an han'some-I was, upon
my soul
Once my cheeks was roses, my eyes as black as
coal;
And can't remember, in them days, of hearin'
people say,
For any kind of reason. that I was in their
way.
Tain't no use of boastin', or talkin' over free,
But many house an home was open then to
me; ..,.
Many handsome offer had from likely men,
An nobody ever limited that 1 was burden
then.
And when to John was married, sure he was
good and smart,
But he and all my neighbors would own l done
my part;
For life was all before me, an was young an
strong,
An worked the best could in tryin' to get
along.
And so we worked together, an life was hard,
but gay,
With now and then baby for to cheer us on
our way;
Till we had half dezen, an all growed clean
an neat,
An went to school like others, an had enough
-t to eat.
So we worked for the childr'n, and raised them
every one;
Worked for 'em summer an winter, just a.. we
ought to we done;
Only perhaps we humored 'eIn, which some
good folks condemn,
But every couples childr'n's heap the best to
them.
Strange how much we think of our blessed Lit;
tie ones!
I'd have died for my daughter I'd 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 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 came one day, an took
| him away from me.
Still was bound to struggles an never to cringe
or fall
Still worked for Charley, for Charley was my
all;
And Charley was pretty good to me,with scarce
| word or frown,
Till at last he went a-courtin', and brought q
wife from town.
She was somewhat dressy, an hadn't pleasant
She was qnite conceity, an carried heap o
| style;
But if ever tried to be friends, did with her
| I know;
But she was hard an proud AN couldn't make
She had an eddication, an that was good 70,
| her;
But when she twitted me on mine, twas carryin
things too fur;
An told her once, fore company, (an' it al
most made her sick,)
That I never swallowed a grammar, or ct 9
'rithmetic.
So twas only few days before the thing was
| lney was ldluliy VI uhcihoOifco, uh oiioenSi
| one
An very little cottage one family will do,
But 1 never have seen house that was bis
enough for two.
An never could speak to suit her, never could
please her eye,
An it made me independent, an then didn'
try;
But was terribly staggered, an felt it like
blow,
When Charley turned agin me, and told me
could go
> 1 went to live with Susan, but Susan's hous
was small,
An she was always hintin' how snug it wa
for ALI
AM what with her husbands sisters, an wha
with children three,
Twas easy to discover there wasn't room for me
An then went to Thomas, the oldest son "