Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-06-21
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p O e II r ".
POOR-HOUSE NAN.
BY MRS. LUCY II. BLINN.


p O r II r. ".
POOR-HOUSE NAN.
BY MRS. LUCY II. BIINN.
Did you say you wished to see me, sir9 ste]
in; tits q cheerless place,
But you're heartily welcome all the same-t,
be poor il no disgrace!
Have been here long9 Oh, yes, sir-'tis thir
ty Winters gone
Since poor Jim took to crooked ways and lef
me all alone! ;.
Jim was my son, and q likelier lad you'd neve
| wish to see,
Till evil counsels won his heart and him ava,
from mel
'ris the old. sad. pitifal story. SIR nf the devip
| winding star,
And men going down-and down-and dowr
to blackness and despair;
Tossing about like wrecks at sea, with helm
! and anchor lost, =
On and on. through the sursin waves, MOI
| caring to count the cost
l doubt sometimes II the Saviour sees-hs
| seems SO far away
How the souls he loved and died for. are drift.
| ing-drifting astray!
Indeed, tie little wonder, sir. if woman shrinks
and cries,
When the life-blood on RUNS altar spilled /,
| calling to the skies!
Small wonder If her own heart feels each sacrf
fetal blow.
For isn't each life part OF herss each pain he,
hurt and woe?
Read all the records of crime and shame-'tis
bitterly. sadly true
Where marliness and honor die, there some
woman's heart dies too!
Often think. when hear folks talk 10 pretti-
ly, and so fine,
OF "alcohol as a needful food" of the moderate
use Of wine,
How 1.-THE world couldn't do without it, there
was clearly no other way,
But for man to drink. or let it alone, as his
own strong will may say"
That ITO use 1t but not abuse it, was the proper
way to do':
How 1iwish they'd let old Poor house Nan
preach her little sermon too!
would give them scenes in a woman's life
that would make their pulses stir,
For was drunkard's child and wife-ave a
drsnkards mother, sir!
would tell of childish terrors of childish tears
and pain
OF cruel blows from a fathers hand whon ,.,,.,,
had crazed his brain
He always said he could drink his au or ,at Il
alone as we'll
Perhaps he might. he was killed one night il
brawl-in grog-shop hell!
would tell of years Of loveless toll the drunk
ards child had passed,
With Just one gleam of sunshine too beautiful
to last!J
When married Tom 1 thought for sure I'd
nothing more to fear;
That life would come all right at last, the world
seemed full Of cheer.
But he took to moderate drinking he allowed
tWas hafmless thing.
% tne arrow sped, ana my bird Of Hope came
down with broken wingi
rcr. s.-.
you bear in mind
How the plodding tortoise In the raee left the
leeDtnG hAre hehtndf
Twas because he held right on and ON, steady
and true. IL slow
And that's the way. I'm thinking, that the
moderate drinkers go!
Step over step-day after day-with sleepless,
t1reless pace,
While the topper sometimes looks behind and
tarries In the race!
Al h.ov,,u e., ~.
walked day by day.
for my nedTs-str'0s cts''g about his feet and tam
gte0 up tne W0y!
Ine Gays were dark, and friends were gone,
ana life dragged on full slow
And children came. like feapers sad. to har-
vest or want and woe!
Two OF tnem died, and was glad when they lay
before me dead
nao grown so weary OF their cries-their pitt
1ul cries for bread
Thoro coma a +,poo whar ,rv hoor. ,.....4o,.
could neither nope nor pray;
Foor Tom lay out IN the potters field and my
oev nad gone astray-
My ooy VINO mad been my fdol-while, like
hounos atnlrst 1or blood,
between my breaking heart and him the liquor
seller stood.
Ana iured MIN on with his poisoned words,
MS pleasures and his ut''e;
An, goa nave PITY on other hearts as bruised
anu hurt as mine
Their, were whispers of evil doing of d,sbonor