The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1871-09-08
Over the Hill 20 the Poor House.
BY W. N. CARLTON.

/
!, woman OF seventy, and only triae gray
l. who 1lt am smart an clipper, for all the years
As many another woman that's only half as
| old.
over the hill to the pOor-house-I can't quite
over the hill to the poor-house-it seems so
Many step I've taken a toilin' to and fro,
/ But this is a sort OF journey never thought TO
60
What is the of heapin' ON me a pauper's
shame?
| Am / lazy or crazy? am I blind or laIneP
True, am not so supple, nor yet 50 awful stout;
But charity ain't no favor if one can live with
out.
am wiIlin' an anxious an ready any day
To work for decent livin', and pay my honest
For can earn my vietuals, an more too, I'll be
bound,
II nybody only is willin' to have me round.
Once was young am han'some-I was, upon
once my cheeks was roses, my eyes as black as
And can't remember, in them days, of hearin'
For any kind Of reason, that was in their
'Tainr no use of boastin', taIkin' over free,
But many house an home was open then to
Many a han'some offer had from likely men,
And nobody ever limited that was a burden
then.
And when to John was married, sure he was
good and smart,
/ But he and AN the neighbors would own done
For lie was all before me- an was young an
And worked the best that I could in tryin' to
| get along.
And so we worked together; and life was hard
With now 51a9 and then baby to cheer US on our
Till we we had half a dozen, an all growed clean
AM W went to school like others, an had enough
to eat
So we worked for the ehiIdr'n, and raised 'em
,, Worked for 'em summer and winter, just as we
: Only perhaps we humored 'em, which some
good folks condemn,
theni'
? Strange how much we think Of our blessed little
e I'd have died for my da lighters, I'd have died
!; And God he made that rule of love; but when
II we're old and gray,
;. rve noticed II sometimes how IL fails TO work
the Other way
: Strange another thing; when our boys an girls
IS And when, exceptin' Charley, they'd left US
n there alone;
dearer seemed to be,
e The Lord of hosts he come one day an took him
o away from me-
= still was bound to struggle, an never to eringe
!. stili worked for Charley. for Charley was now
my all;
e TIL at last he went a-courtin', and brought
II wife from town.
y She was somewhat dressy, an hadn't pleasant
e She was quite conceity, and carried heap o.
r But il ever tried to be friends did with her,
v But She was hard and proud, an couldn't
n make IL 90.
She had an edieation, an that was good for her;
y But when she twitted me on mine, twas carry
? An told her once, fore company IAN it almost
That never swallowed grammar or 'et a
'rithmatick.
5 So twas only a few days before the thing was
done
: They was afamiIy OF themselves, and another
:, And in a very little cottage one family will do
Y But L have never seen a house that was Dig
, enough for two.
# An never could speak to suit her, never could
: Anti made me Independent, and then didn't
: But was terribly staggered, an felt it like
II When Charley turned ag'in me, an told me
u could 60
l went To live with Susan, but Susan's house
was small,
And She was always a-hinting how snug it was
- for US all;
r And what with her husbands sisters, and with
sr childr'n three,
II Twas easy to discover that there wasn't room
:, for me-
1t An then went to Thomas, the oldest son I've
l. got,
= = For Thomas's buildins ID cover the half Of an
Ac acer lot;
IS But all the childrn was on mel couldn't stand
l. their sauce
= And Thomas said needn't think was coming
Sl 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
y any one old;
NJ And t'other had an opinion the climate was too
-, cold.
Il. SO they have shirked and sighted me, an
- shifted me about
I'll So they have well nigh sOured me, an wore
us my old heart out;
Bnt still I've bore up pretty we'll, an wasn'
much put down,
Till Charley went to the pOor-master an pu'
mo- me on the town.
GU over the hill to the poOr-house-Iny children
lot dear, goodbye! - o.,
he Many night I've watched you Wheii "'i'S ''''
lat And God II Judge between us; but will aiays
or ap y6p shall never suffer the half do to-day