The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1903-08-01
AT s I. 2 E1 IS ATE
JOSEPH BERT sMtLEY's aMosT
FAMOUS POEM: 3 {.

JOSEPH BERT sMtLEY's z5MosT
~ FAMOUS POEM. ~.
|N i = -- - w S< I - Q
How the. Saint and the Sinner. Went
Hand in Hand to the Portals OF the
City Of Peace, and the welcome
Accorded Them. 4
Joseph Bert Smiley, author of "St.
Peter at the Gate" is \ead. He was
found dying in the woods near Ken.
dallville, Ind, with bullet hole in his
temple. T -
His poem brought him national
reputation. 1t is given below:
St. Peter stood guard at the golden gate
With a solemn mien and air sedate,
When up t. the top Of the golden stair
man and woman. ascending there,
Applied for admission. They came and
stood
Before St. Peter, so great and good,
In hope the <ity Of Peace to, win,
The woman was tall and lank and thin,
With a scraggy ,beardlet upon her chin.
The man was short and thick ana STOUT,
Ills face was PIE pleasant SAINT and ali the while
The choirs in the distance the echoes
And the man kept still while the woman
spoke.
"Oh, thou who guardest the gate,' said
I'VE come hither, beseeching thee
To let us enter the heavenly land,
And play our harps with the angel band.
There's nothing from heaven to bar me
I've been to meeting three times week,
I've told the sinners about the day
When they'd repent Of their evil way, :,
Bout Adam and Eve, and the Primal
I've shown them what they'd have to do
I've gasa her pah e Of dafS
Laid out the plan for their whole career
I've talked and talked to 'em loud and
For mySlungs are good and my voice is
So, so tsIH St: Peter, you'n clearly see
The gate Of heaven Is open for me,
Hasn't walked in exactly the narrow
way.
And 1 don't know whether he'll pass or
not
He never would pray with an earnest
Or go to revival, or join in hymn,
s. had to hi him in sorrow there
He ate what the pantry CHANGED to af-
While I, in my purity, sang to the Lord.
And if cucumbers were all he got
It's a chance if he merited them or not
But oh, St. Peter. I love him SO
I've done enough-a saint I've BEEN
By my grim gospel I know it's so
That the unrepentant must fry below,
But isn't there some way you can see
That he may enter who's dear to me?
It's a narrow gospel which I pray,
But the chosen expect to find some way
Of coaxing or fooling or bribing you,
And say, St. Peter, it seems to me
That gate isn't kept as it ought to be.
You ought to stand right by the opening
And never sit down in that easy chair.
and say, St. Peter. my sight is dimmed
But don't like, the way your Whiskers
They're cut too wide, and outward toss;
They'd look better narrow, cut straight
across.
Well, we must be going our crowns to
So open, St. Peter, and We'll pass in
St. Peter sat quiet and stroked his staff
Then said, with a. fiery CLEAN in his eye,
And then he arose, IN his stature tall.
And said to the imp Who answered the
"Esco ort'' this female around to hell!"
The man stood still. as 2 piece Of stone
StGG fe iaay ssst 2iGaaaS s se haas
HAT aea s XIII shs Es9a nnS as 06s
That he would certainly have to 60
That if she went to-. the regions dim
There wasn't the ghost Of a show for
him.
Slowly he turned, by habit bent,
To follow wherever the woman went,
st. PeteT standing ling on on duty 5s.a
He called the gentleman back and said,
Friend, how long hast thou been wed?"
And d't THEN ' he thoushtfully added, :WRy?"
St. Peter was silent. With head bent
He raised his hand and scratched his
Then, seeming different thought to take,
Slowly, half to himself. he spake.
''Thirty years with that woman there?
No wonder the man hasn't got any hair!
Swearing is wicked Smokes not good.
He smoked and swore-1 should think he
Thirty years with that tongue so sharp!
Eo! Angel Gabriel! GIVE HIM A HARP!
A jeweled harp with golden string!
Good sir, pass in where the angels sing
Gabriel give him seat alone
One with the cushion-up near the throne!
Call up some angels to play their best,
Let him enjoy the music, and rest.
See that on finest ambrosia he feeds,
He's had about all the hell he needs,
1t isn't just hardly the thing TO do
TO roast, him on earth and the future,
too."
They gave him harp with golden
A glittering robe and a pair of wings,
And he said as he entered the Realms OF
Day,
We'll, this beats cucumbers, anyway"
And so the Scriptures had come to pass
1.-The last shall be first and the first shall
be last"