The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-02-13
ST. PETER AT 1HE GATE.


a man and o woman ascending there,
Applied for adm sslon. Tnoy came and
stood
Before ST. Peter 80 great and good.
In hopes the CITY ot Peace to win
And asked st. Potter TO let them In;
The woman wns tall. and lauk and thtn,
with a scraggy beardlet upon her cbu.
The man was short. and thick and stout,
His stomach was built 40 1t rounded out;
His face as pleasant and all tue while
He wora kindly and genlai smile.
The choirs In the distance tho ecAoes woke
And the man kept still while She woman
spoke;
"oh thou who guardest the gate" said
ehe
I'VE two come hither. bsseeohing tnee.
To let ue enter the Heavenly Innd.
And piay our harps with tho angel band.
OF me, st. Peter. there Is Nc, Doubt
There's nothing from heaven TO bar mo
out;
I've been to meeting three times week.
And n! most always Id rise aud speak.
I've told the sinners about tho day
When they'd repsnt their evil way;
I've told Iny neighbors, have told them
all
Bout Adam and Eve and the primal fall;
Ivo shown them wnat they'd have 10 do
II they'd pass In with the chosen few;
I've marked their path OF duty olear-
LAID Vut tho plan OF thair wnoie career,
Tvo talked and talked to en, loud aud
long, .- ..
| For my lungs are good and my voice
Btroug.
So good st. Peter you will clearly see
The Rnte of Heavsu Ia open to me;
But my old man regret to say.
hasn't walked In exactly the narrow way:
He smokes und lie swears, and grave
faults he's got
And | don't know whether he'll pass or not
he never would pray with un earnest vim
Or go to revival, or JOIN III a'hymn;
{, i,,d tn, lcay a I'm In
Wntle l. with the chosen uulted In prayer
Haate what the pantry chose to aford.
While l. in my purity. sang to tue Lord.
And II oucumbers we're all he got,
Ips chance II he morited them or not.
But, OH st. Peter. love him SO
To the pleasures OF lIeavsa piease let MIN
go!
I've done enough-a saint I've been;
Won't that aloue2 Can't you let him inp
By my grim 2o-pal know tbs 30
That the unrtpsntant must fry below.
But isn't there some way you can zee
Tina. he may enter whJ ls dear to mo 7
It's a narrow Gospel by which l pray.
But the chosen expect To Hind some way
OF coaxiuE, or fooiing, or Gribin4 you,
So that their relations eau amble through.
And say. st. Peter. IL seems to ma
Ihls gut isn't kep; as 1t ought To bs;
You ought to stand by thnt opening Jlore,
And never sit down In that easy chair.
And say st Peter. my sight Is 'liinmsd,
are trlmmed.
THEY'RE cut too wide and outward toss,
They'd look beLtor narrower. cut
straight across.
Well, We must he going our crowns to
win;
So open st, Peter. ami wo'll pass IMP
And then he arose in hrs stature tail ..
And pressed u button upon the wall,
And said to Tue limp VINO answered the
uall,
,.Ir,a,,t hi, Iu6 aranpI IN
The man stood III as peos OF stone--
Stood sadly. blooming there alone.
A IIfe-lohg. settled idea he had
That his wts was good and ne was bad;
lie thought II the woman went down be-
low
That ho would certainly have to go
Thut II she went TO thB region dim
There wasn't ghost of n show for him.
Slowly he turna +, by hnbtL urnt.
10 follow wherever the woman went.
st Peter, standing on duty there
Observed that the toc OF his head was bare
lie Uat .su TIC gentleman back and sAid:
'Eriend. now long nave YOU u,sn weir"
TN rly yeurr" lwtn a W 'Gry -tGn)
AnG tiien hc thpughtiuiiy n. dei ''Why2'
81 peler was sI!ont MIh he5d bent d8wn
b,' raised his heal and scra chsd MS crown
1nun 30 nins a diIlsrenL Juuu .iIL To take
Slowly. naif 20 hIlnself, ho sptke;
'tAlrty years with that woman tnnra?
No wuEder the man hasn't ANY lIIir.
Swearing Is wicitsd SmOls's uot gpoi-
lie smoA ed anI swoue-I should tuiui hs
would. .|e.. #..5-.
Thirty years with that tongue so sharp?
Uu! AI.gpI GahFisl! tIyu MN harp!
A isweie harp WITH a golden slriug."
Cool S#r pass III wacre IA aug Els singl
Giprlel gave httn II s3AL alonG
une with cdshton5-np near th1 TIT ona.
Gail up soma an gels 10 sing tnsIr hest
Let hin apioy tiia music aud r1st.
Sea tnBt OF tho inebt ilnDrD5,L ns faa L.,
Hos had about all III, hbll hs needs
H. isn't lust nard.y The thiHg5 10 tlp
30 rotsl ulm Dn earn aud Ia IA zlrb to1n
They = stvn niin ii harp " til g0t lon strfu..j
A glitteTiAs robe wItli II p-t- ~ wings
Aud IL. siltd, US h5 entered the team OF
Day,
We'll, llIs bouts cuelmbers any way!"
Aud so tils scriptures had roma TO bass;
'lnu last -ha,l Ue iirat dna tho lir,t enall
be last -BltIunore Herald.