New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-22
OLD SAUL.
CA p1ALEcTfc TALE MISSOURI

Once in my wanderings,
Filled with sad ponderings
O'er life and its strange, strange ways,
My further steps the county poor house stays.
There, meath the blaze of a fiery sun
saw a negro, an aged one,
A grizzled man from Afric's soil,
Once a hardy son of hardest toll.
His head was as white rs a Summer cloud,
And I thought without pain of the fair white
shroud
That soon must enwrap his toll worn form,
Poor food, alas! for even the worm
Which is ravepous for every thing.
asked how it hap'ed that one like he,
Unfit for toll, must tOiling be
Down his furrowed check stole silent tear,
This his answer, Christians hear!
Eyes, young marss, it's very hard thing
For appoor ole niger to be fling
On de county farm.
Tho dis hur arm
Has brung'd many a dollar in
For my old marss-its jes sin,
When Use ole and gray
To be flung'd away,
Cause now 1 amt no count to dem
For who Use worked till Use three score ten.
Short time arter we was free
De young boss one day say to me,
Use gwine to move
To Temple Grove,
You can stay, it would not pay
To have an ole chap not with snap
A layin' round from day to day,
To de poor house you must so and stay
"Deed me chile, L tell you de truff,
De young boss sent me from de roof
Whar I'se been long % dem
Christmas mex is forty year.
OATS de reason drop dat tear!
Tote dat man when he was boy;
make him sleds, make him toy,
We goes TO de ole camp meetin' ground
Whar de psams and hymns and amens sound
Like the prairie wind a roarin' round.
"When he was sick, watch wild de doctor,
When de house on fire, sabc his daughter;
If she was livin' she'd 'iend me shore,
Poor little lam! she'd gone before
She is a waitin' dare,
So sweet and so fair,
To meet ole Saul on Canaan's shore.
"I's worked in dc blazen sun shine,
I'se toiled in de pourin' rain,
Use raked, chopped, hoed and narrowed
Till my bones was racked wild pain
And when de clouds of winter
Flung down their snow and hail
Jack frosts ice hand clutched me,
While de cuttin' winds did wall.
"But now I'se ole and useless,
And my blood is growin' cold
Wild de chill of many winters,
Dat DER dis form have rolled.
'Look pom dis ole gray head!
White as dc -four dat makes de bread;
Look 'pon desc shrivel hands
Desc shakin' limbs on which stands!
See desc gums! dey amt no teeth,
Time stole 'em all, dc big ole thief!
Desc dim old eyes was once as bright
And big as dc OWLS dat flies at night.
Hur's all dat is lef of poor ole slave
OATS slowly creepin' to de grave!
at won't be long! Use gwinc to glory
Oar de Lord will hear my story,
While the angel bands is singin'
And de golden harps is ringin'
De Master call
To old black Saul,
well done good and faithful servant!''
Wiping the tears with his trembling hands,
Rising on tOttering limbs he stands,
Then turning to heaven those dim old eyes,
He utters prayer
For the souls welfare
Ito the one who dwells in the skies-)
For the master on earth he had served so long
Who, for reward, had paid him in song,
And filled his heart
With the bitter smart
Of selfish neglect and ingratitude.
Like gnarled tree that has long been dead
He staggers! he falls! like an image of lead;
He lies there still,
While death rattles fill
His throat-and his cruel hand grasps it &c
firm,
That he writhes beneath like q crushed
worm
He tries to utter
Can only mutter:
sole Saul is gone,
His work is dOne!"
MISSOURI MACDONALD.