The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-01-26
OLD MAN GRAM.

In little Gram Court lives old man Gram,
The patriarch of the place,
Where often You Ii see his face,
Eager and greedy, peering about,
As he goes busting in and out
At a wriggling, rickety pace
Brisk, octogenarian' pace.
He rattles his stick at my heels, and brags,
As he comes shutting along the flags
Brags of his riches and brags of his rags,
Much work and little play.
" You see where am, says old man Gram
You see where am to-day.
" came to town at twelve years old,
With shilling in this ere pocket
You should see him chuckle and knock it!
o." The town to me was big stout chest,
With fortunes locked in the till; but guessed
silver key would unlock it
My little key would unlock it.
l. found In rag-shop kept by a Jew
A place to sleep and job to do,
And managed to make my shilling two;
And that's always been my way.
Now see where am, cries old man Gram
" Nov where | am to-dayr
In his den atop of the butchers shop
He lies in his lair of husks,
And sups gruels and rusks,
And bone now and then to pick and gnaw,
With hardly Il tooth in his tough old jaw,
But n couple OF curious tusks-
All. picturesque. terrible tusksl
Though half Gram Court he calls his own,
Here boarding his rents, he has lived alone,
Until, like a hungry wolf, he has grown
Gaunt and shaggy and gray.
You see where am, growled old man Gram
As looked in to-day.
might have wife to make my broth,
Which would be convenient-rather!
And younkers to call me father.
But wife would be after my chink, you see;
And bantlings for them that liker' snarls he;
never would have the bother
They re an awful expense and bother!
| went to propose at fifty-four,
But stopped as raised my hand to the door:
70 think of a dozen brats or morep
Says |, and turned away.
Now where | am" brags old man Gram
Only see where | am to-day!
had once niece, who came to town
As poor as any church mouse:
She wanted to keep my house.
Tut! have no house to keep: go back
L gave her dollar, and told her to pack;
At which she made such touse-
You never did see such touse!
Whole rows of houses were mine. she said
! had more bank shares than hairs in my head
And gold like so much iron or lead
All which | couldn't gainsay.
Men see where am" grins old man Gram
They see where | am to-day.
g But if there is anything detest.
And for which have no occasion,
Sir, 1t 5 poor relation.
They re always plenty and always in need:
lake one, and soon You will have to feed
just about half the nation
They II swarm from all over the nation!
And L have rule though it's nothing new
Whatever | fancy, whatever | do,
always ask: Will it pay?
Now see where am" boasts old man Gram
Just see where am to-dayr'
The little boys dread his coming tread,
They are pale as he passes by
And the sauciest ours are shy,
his stick is so thick and he looks so grim;
Not even beggar viii beg of him;
You should hear him mention why
There very good reason why.
The poor he hates and he hasn't friend
And none but fool will give or lend;
For, only begin, there'll be no end
That's what | always say.
Now see where am, crows old man Gram
just see where | am to-day
His misery gain is the harvest grain;
All the rest is chaff and stubble;
And the life beyond is bubble
We are as the beasts and we think on the whole.
lis quite as well that he has no soul.
For that might give him trouble
Might give him deal of trouble
The long and short of the old mans creed
Is to live for himself and to feed his greed
The world is a very good world indeed,
If only chap might stay:
Only stay where l am, =" whines old man Gram
Stay Just where am to-day
j. I. IrOtDbridqe, in Harper'S Magazine.