The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-06-29
OVER THE HILL TO THE POOR-HOUsR.
BY WILL NJ. CARLETON.

ONCi tuC ILL W l0O Cuu qullS
make it clearl
Over the hill to the poor-house--it seems so
horrid queer
Many step I've taken a-toilin' to and fro,
But this is sort of journey l never thought
to go.
What is the use of heapin' on me pauper's
shame?
Am lazy or crazy? am I blind or lame2
True, Pm not SO supple, nor yet SO awful
stout;
But charity amt no favor, If one can live with
out.
am wlllin' and anxious an ready any day
10 work for decent livin', an pay my honest
a way;
For can earn my victuals, an more too, I'll
be bound,
If anybody only is willin' to have me round.
Once was young an ansome-I was, upon
my soul
Once my cheeks was roses, my eyes as black
as coal;
And can't remember, in them days, of hear
in 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 handsome offer had from likely men,
And nobody ever limited that was q burden
then.
And when to John was married, sure he was
good and smart,
But he and all the neghbors would own
done my part;
Fer life was all before me, an was young an
strong,
And worked the best that 1 could in irwin
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;
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 child'rn, 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 folks condemn,
But every couples childrns heap the best to
them.
Strange how much we think of our blessed
I'd have died for my daughters, 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 come one day an took
him away from me.
Still was bound to struggle, an never to
cringe or fall
Still 1 worked for Charley, for Charley was
now 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 drcssy, an hadn't pleas
ant smile
She was quite conceity, and carried heap of
style;
But If ever tried to be friends, did with
But she was hard and proud, an couldn't
make it 60.
She had an education, an that was good for
her;
But when she twitled me on mine, twas car
ryin' things too fur;
An told her once, fore company (an' it al
most made her sick),
That never swallowed a grammar, or 'et q
'rithmetick.
So twas only few days before the thing was
done
They was family of themselves, and an
other one;
And q very little p0ttaua ono family will dn
But never have seen house that was big
enough for two.
An l never could speak to suit her, never
could please her eye,
An 1t made me independent, and then didn't
try;
But was terribly stag gsred, an felt it like
blow,
When Charley turned ag'in me, an told me
could go.
went to live with Susan, but Susans house
And she was always a-hintin' how snug it was |
for us all;
And what with her husbands sisters, and what |
with child'rn three,
Twas easy to discover that there wasn't room |
for me.
An then l went to Thomas, the Oldest son I've
got,
For Thomas's buildings d cover the half of an
acre lot;
But oil the child'rn was on mel couldn't
stand their sauce
ana Ihomas said | needn't think was COM
ing there to 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 one of 'em said twas too warm there for
any one so old,
And t'other had an opinion the climate was
too cold.
80 they have shirked and sighted me. an,
shifted me 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,
TIL Charley went to the poor-master, an put
me on the town.
Over the hill to the poor-house-my child'n
dear, good-by
Many night I've watched you when only
God was nigh;
Ana God IL judge between us; but will al
'ays pray
That you shall never suffer the half do to-
day. -Hayper's Weekly.