Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-11-01
TOR Ye Have thspPoor Always with
Y0u."
BY ALICE ROBBINS.

BIZ ALACH 1O0OANS'
Before the Ercursi0m.
O. mother, motherl what do you think?
Wash out my best red gown;
No matter for patches, teacher said
We're going out Of town.
We're going out Of the dusty streets,
And over the waters cool;
couldn't hardly believe 1t when
They told me so at school.
It's the country, Madalen jackson says,
And where there are thousands Of big green tree'
And never q brick house nigh.
She says there are flowers growing wild
O, won't it be sweet to see?
Tn almost wild with the very thOught
That this should happen to me.
For never saw SO much as q field,
Or a river, running blue,
Or the woods where oaks and pine trees grow
In the sunshine and the dew.
But Madalen has. She came from q land
Where the flowers grow all the year;
But she lives in this dark old alley now
Though she won't stay long, fear
Her fathers the organ man who grinds
The tunes out you like so well;
They came from Italy, long ago
He and Maddy and Nell.
And Madalen sang till her voice was gone,
And now she's SO sick and white!
Che can't go singing to earn her bread,
But coughs all the day and night.
But oh! she's so happy to think she'll go
Where the soft winds blow SO cool,
That found her crying as hard as she could
When came home from school.
o, mother, 1t never can rain tomorrow,
1t surely never can rain!
We're going at six in the early day
Me and Kitty and Jane.
They're dressing a splendid steamer up
With cOlors and flowers and flags;
And l saw them carrying on dray
Such boxes, bundles and bags!
And they say Wen all have an apple apiece,
And plenty OF cake and pie;
And a whole brass band is going along
Why, it almost makes me cry.
To think what a happy time we'll have
For whole bright, merry day!
only wish I'd better gown,
And longer time to stay.
And Bcssie's going. lame as she is
Going, crutches and all;
Her father drinks, and her mother scOds,
And she has to tend the stall.
But tomorrow her face it will shine SO bright
She'll never think of the pain;
The doctors say that she may not live
To see the GUNNER again.
And oh! we may shout and laugh and sin.
Till the sun hangs red and low;
And there isn't single cent to pay
If there was, we couldn't go.
after tie Excursion.
O, mother, we've had such happy time!
couldn't begin to tell
There were hundreds and hundreds got aboard
BY the time they rang the bell.
The water sparkled like iewel-stones,
White sails shOne all around;
felt SO happy couldn't speak
When the mighty boat swung round.
And the flags blew out, and the boys hurrahed,
And the hand bepNu TO Dlay.
And the winds that came from the far, wide sea
Seemed to sweep our cares away.
We just forgot we were poor and p.tchcd;
And Madalen never smiled,
But the light that shone in her happy eyes
Made her look like another child
And little Bessie, with folded hands
And a face as white as snow.
1t was better to see her quiet joy
Than the rarest, finest show.
And the music, mothcr!-the merry tunes,
As we foated away. away!
thought we were going straight to heaven
To spend one summer day.
And when we landed there were trees
Far as the eye could reach;
And swings in the groves and merry games
And welcome word for each.
I'll never forget it, mother, never
I'll see it in my dreams
Those pretty flowers, those wildwood paths,
And the purling, silvery streams.
And kind hearts gave us plenty of cake,
And red-ripe apples and plnms,
And bread and butter as sweet as nuts
We never get it in the slums.
O. mother, what good, great hearts there be
To give sls such sweet delightf
I'm sure the Lord will bless them all;
I'll pray Him to each night.
And, mother, some time, oh! some blessed time
Perhaps, when woman grown,
I'll take you out of this wretched life,
Away from these alleys of stone.
And I'll build you tiny cottage,
Where the sward is soft and green.
If ever could lire in the country, I'd he
As happy as any queen.
Out of this terrible squaOr and dirt,
Into the sunny air,
Only to hear the birds and see
Gods dear Heaven everywhere.