The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-04-04
(From the Pittsburgh Gazette
BetScY and L IRE OtIt Onc1 More.
BY II. ELLIOTT M'BRIDE.

NJ L.
| Betsey and ! are out once more-we'ye had
tearing fight;
| We jawed, ana talked, and slashed around
| I tell you twas Il sight.
kinder wish we hadn't fought it seems a
little queer
That we can't live like other folks, and be
| cOntented here.
| But Betsey has a temper, cir, and I've a
temper too,
And when we commence to fight, VIC fight
the battle through.
In this, our latest little fuss, she fairly
! scrunched me down;
She grabbed my silver locks, and tore them
from my crown.
She thrashed me with hazel stick-it might
be called pole
And then she cracked me on the head with
twenty Jumps of coal;
She took me by my Roman nOse-the handle
of my head
She wrung and twisted it about-Oh! gosh
ems how it bled
She said I'd never bought for her new and
shiny silk,
And then she flung kerslosh on me a crock
of buttcrmilk;
She said l was an ugly mana mean and
And up her foot went, sudden-like, and 1
went off my seat.
''NOw, Gale" said she, '.iust sit you there,
and listen while | talk:
| L II show you now | am boss, and make you
toe the chalk.
You = pretty man, oh, dear, of high and
moral tone,
To lounge about that drinking hole. and
leave me here alone.
IT'S years ago since first we met; you said
you loved me we'll;
NOu said you'd always be the Same-in han
pIncsS we'd dwell,
You said YOU knew there ue'pr was one YOU
would 50 foudly prize"
And while she spakc, ali, me, it's true, the
tears came IN her eyes
Twas very strange to see her thus, my Bet
Scy shedding tears
! m sure | had not seen her cry for more
than twenty years.
II took me back unto the past-the pain of
long ago
When she and l stood 10y the grave of dar-
ling little Joe
/ thought I'd like to say 10 her, 'sNIy Betsey,
40 not weep;
II you forgive me, true il is l will my pre-
mise keep:
III drink no more, I'll stay at home, for It's
a better plan,
And you can help me, if you will, to be
better man"
But BetSey had the floor just then-I thought
/ wouldn't speak;
l thought I'd wait and hear her through, if
she wOuld talk i week
| Upon th.. floor ! rested stiil-and sure twas
| better thus.
| If / had tried to take a chair there might
have been fuss.
And then she spake to me again: Have YOU
forgot the past?
| Have you forgot our sunny life before it was
| O'ercast?
! All! Gale, [ truly loved you tllen-you were
! So kind and true
| For many years | thought there was no bet
| ter than YOU.
''And when our little darlings died, Eliza,
Kate and Joe,
! They placed them in the quiet vale, and we
! were full of woe;
! You were good and noble then-my staff
! and only stay;
| You spoke to 50 tenderly, my troubles
| passed away.
''The years went on and you grew cold-you
! cared no more for me
! And somehow we commenced to fight we
could no more agree;
| You took to drink and squandered all-it
sorelS grieved my heart;
! But / have thought the matter DER, and,
Gale, we'd better part"
This reused me up. Said I, cold Bets, you
| ar a lying jade!''
q felt as big as seven men and not the least
afraid
I'm sure l haven't squaudered alI-you'vC
got your money yet;
SO keep il all and use it all, and don't get il
sweat"
| With that 4 heavy lick she struck me, and
knocked me on the floor
And then she raped me on the head some
twenty times or more.
She pulled me east, she pulled me west, she
grabbed me by the hair;
She flung me clear across the room and
smashed the rocking chair.
When l got ont I came away, and now
have no home;
90 away with saddened heart, in this cold
world To roam,
! The tears will come into my eyes, it seems
! so lonely now;
And then | ask, s'How will I live?'' and
echo answers, How"
am a very quiet man l hate these fight!
and brawls;
! Ia rather go and end my days within the
| poor house walls.
Ia rather lie both lone and poor, and live
! upon the town,
Than have my Betsey jaw me so and dali!
knock me down.
| 1t seems so strange to leave my home wheI
/ am poor and old,
| And go away and wander round IN TINS Srea
world SO cold
II seems so strange to leave the one will
whom I've passed my days
| should have lived a nObler life and tried t.
mend my ways.
| l fear that Betsey'll come to want; she 5 get
ting old and gray;
But can 1 stay and help her on along he
weary way?
ged me all about
And so you see, it cannot be for she and
out.
But now that have left my home, L IL tax
Il solemn vow
I'll never drink another dram-l'u star
. ! anew from now
|, And while live IN live aright-atone fo
for all the past,
And strive to reach that better land and res
in peace at last.
i SHIRLAND, Allegheny Co, Pa.
- AN Akron, Ohio, cat relying upon III
u, L