St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-01-03
a Rogue and a Vas abond.

! What hOuse do you say 9-the Ship at StoCE
Why, there must ha' bin blind
Not to know in agin; but tbs years ago
Since left these parts behind.
| Here, master. bring us a pint out here
If these good gents don't mind.
Look warnish do l! And 50 would you,
If you'd only ha ccme my track,
A-trampng it here from Grays to-day,
With this h"rgan yer back:
and III not =" young as used to he
When these gray hairs was black.
| How long ave bin on the road Let's see:
lis twelvemonth VERY near
Since tUst took up with the horgan line
Along with this yonker here;
| But afore that I'd bin tramping about
Close upon forty years
My beer, is it! Thankee. Well, here's luckl
YES. master, as you say,
| 'Iis rather a longish time doubt
! Though it seems but the other day
| That was a little boy at home,
Out yonder by Rayeigh way.
Heigho! if d minded mothers words,
That for my good alone
! I'D hin a decent w-Il-to-do chap
I Wan boys and gals of my own
Instead ul a poor old homeless man.
tramp and vagabone.
Here, drink. lad Well it wasn't to be:
sh"uldnt hl' done for homcly wear
IIeading your quiet mill huss round
To good gray hairs in easy chair:
We touch "f syPsy blood i my veins
That pants for the sun and air
lramping 1t mcrrily east west
Town or country OF down dale
Bcg-ar and gypsy, peddlcr and thief,
out of the w"rkus into the Jail
Tha, the lit,. lived and liked
When life was cherry and hale
And get there were moments too
When my heart was touched with ruth
At Thought Of the poor old mother at home
And my wasted shameful youth.
All, masters! there IS nothing pays well
As honest Labor and truth
I'd share my crust with pal
And my heart would often sigh
DER a battered drab i'll lodging ken
That had laid her down to die
lahhllnG of mother and youth and home
- mothcu! was allus their cry.
Is tn, boy my own Well yes and no;
IL. il. and hr ism l. mine.
Un the green there i'll front o the sign
y line little fellow for five year old
And good and true as he > fine
Poor laddir, | mind his mother wrn
With her patient. wistful face;
\ meek. hluc-"Ned. white slip OF "a girl
\ lady 10y birth and grace
That sought. and ruined. and throwcd aside
By villain d"uhly base.
Lets sr''-tiS three Year ago, more,
Down Their, by the iIcrtf"rd beat
That used To meet her tust the road
:" shrinking ami pale. and sweet
With her baby hoy that she loved 50 fond,
Iwould touch Yer heart To sr,'t.
Dear heart! could read the story we'll
That had streped her life i'll g.ill:
The bunny girhuod dainty and sweet
The love and the bitter fall
y blighted and passionate flight.
And a tramp the m"rt-that's all
>ii, ii a nttIr nux oi ribbons ana sIch
That dautily ranged and piled,
AMI the country folks they took To her like,
She seemed =" gentle and mild
And the women would buy trifie or
For the SAKE u the pretty child.
But the boy looked dr"uI.ing rs we'll he might,
With their scanty food and pay,
/ As Id notice when stopped on the road
| T" rive en- the time {" day;
And th,. Young un would know me. and I,rattlr an
smile
! Ia his pretty baby way.
| Yet size seemed Ia hr shy of the Lodging -krns.
/ And afraid "t TN, likes Of We.
Nnd would creep e i.htS t" a shed To sleep.
Though w w"uldn II hav" hurt her, Yer SEE
! Lot even the women, and some &" them,
| Was bad As bad c"uld ht
| / Il lost her q hit-abnut that time
id hin oil the lush, know
| When met - ith ancient pal e" mine
We called him Limping Joe;
! And hr told ~ 'nw she'd hin in quud
Which it staggered me like a blow.
Shed took some fruit for her poor sick kid,
In Il sort of tit q despair;
:" they had her up, and Civ her month
OF prison work and fare;
/ And they called it shocking depravity,"
/ or something like that ere.
Iharc, tw"uld make me laugh, if it wasn't 50 sad
1 1" Sc bow they deals vi We,
/ Hard 'ning TIN, better and struggling few,
hIic the cunning old hands goes free,
/ And uTin~ and thinks with Puck i the play.
What fools these murtas be-
/ | src her agin i'll Il little while,
L"nkng whittier and wuss than afure;
/ But the weaker she owed. poor soul she seemed
/ I" cling 1" her boy the more:
/ could So, that she was drawing
/ 10 heavens mrrciful shore.
Now there come the Pcddlrrs IIact Just then,
/ That has caused such a deal o fuss;
+ If Id only ha' had the naming OF,
/ Id ave haltcrrd the title thus:
~ IIact for turning Men int" Thieves,
/ And Women int" wuss!'
| Once thief, itllus a thief
Brand en- and stop their bread,
/ and st3,rvc en- all into being good
That = how the hacts be read:
/ Why. really think that your Mister Bruce
Must he going OFT his ed
Lord bless yer! them there Parleyment chaps,
/ W"t lrgislatcs for the poor,
/ Why they know no more about us man,
/ Than tn" lock on that ere door:
| lis Il muddle all through, and they to try
To muddlc it more and more.
Only to think, i'll a Christian land
Where people preach and kueel,
1t should he a crime for a fallen man
To earn honest meal,
| How the angels must wonder and weep to see,
and the devil caper and reel!
When l heard they d stopped her rounds,
And writ convicted agin her name,
felt a ch"kin. like the throat,
And my heart was all atame.
All me. there only the wOrkus now,
/ Or Il wumins crowning shame!
/ Well, Id come one bitter night dead beat
To lodging-cri knew,
] \ nd Gathered ahnuf Kitchen