Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-03-26

III W. II CHAMbEisS.
I'm eightyy-one years old to-day an what weary
I've had adj 81, pin' on so long thars none but mt
I'm old an broken down at last, my lamp'l soon
An have said and done come things hate to
But yet ullus tried to think the thing thought
was right.
An what is done is done for good-the black ]
Perhaps God can, an SO I'll wait, till 1 git over
thar
An see II Christ haint fixed it up-He knows what
sinners are.
I'm eighty one years old to-day, the race 10 nearly
An Of all them as started with me I'm the only
Thars Bill an Jack an Sam an Tom, an all the
other boys
Who played with me are dead an gone to their
eternal joys,
For fifty years stood by my side, through heat as
well as cold.
We scuned on an tugged as one till she. my good
old wife.
Not bein' stout nor strong as l. went under in the
strife.
The babies, too, as come up to us, growed up and
An some are dead, an some, fear, have badly
gone astray;
While them as are livin yet, have children Of their
own,
An chidrens children round their knees, but l
am all alOre
The house an farm an all I had. in which felt
some pride.
Was sold to pay the DOCTORS bill when my old wo-
man died
They say couldn't plow the land nor hoe it any
more.
But yet think could If she war sittn In the
door.
They brought me here to Mary Ann's-t they said l
needed rest.
didn't want to leave the farm, but they all
thought it best.
My darter's home they said was mine how little
do they know
That let me try hard as may l never feel it so.
My Mary Ann know is kind. and wants to treat
me well;
And John OH is good to all his folks-that any one
But then feel this home i. thern. an so it can't
I'm like string all ont o. tune. when in the song
jns.
They never seem to think it right for me to have
my say;
And then sometimes am afraid they think I'm in
the way.
So sit still from day to day an hardly say
word,
'Cept when l weisper to myself or whisper to the
Lord
When at first come here to live-thats been ten
years ago
could go out an feed the pigs an in the garden
But 4nce tae day fell out doors an hurt my knee
I've walked about but little an . lonesome time
I've had.
l used to read bit. but now the prints so fine,
cannot see the little words. an hardly keep the
line.
The children sometimes read for me, but can't
understand
At all what tits they read about, the wordin' is
grand.
An when they take this Bible-its her old Bible,
An often in the winter nights we've spelt it
through and through
To read chapter or u verse; they 60 so very fast,
That my old ears don't catch a word-none but
the first an last.
Sometimes sing that good old song-when all
around is still
'Amazn grace how sweet til. sound" an tune
Of '-UrtOnville.'
Then all the children laugh an say that piece is
Their granny sung it through the day she passed
the pearly gate!
An when go TO meeting now its only once a
year
I never hear such .armnts as them used to hear
Redeemin grace an dyin love s'pose have got
too old
For them as writes their sarmins down, an sell
the books Tor gold.
I'm eighty one years old to-day. No one has
spoke to me
About my age or how I feel. nor mentioned my
lame knee;
They have their plans to talk about. and works
not yet begun.
But have finished all my jobs, my work on airth
is done.
Ny tOtterin' feet an tremblin hands find nothin'
more to do,
But still stay here in the wav, like this old worn
out shoe,
Gods time is best, spose, an when l see my
Saviors face.
May be He'll let me ine the throng as ringe se-
deelnin' grace