Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-10-16
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\ OLD I


oNcT thc AhiAA W tho OOT uOuoos
Over the hill to the poorhouse, I'm trudgin'
my weary way
l, woman OF seventy. and only trine
gray
years I've told.
As many another woman that's only hall
as old.
Over the hill to the poorhouse-I can't
quite make 1t clear;
Over the hill to the poorhouse-it seems so
hOrrd queer!
Many step I've taken a-toiln' to and fro.
But this Is sort OF journey l never
thought to so.
What is the .n use OF heapn' on me pau
Am lazy or crazy? Am l blind or lamel
True, am not so supple, nor yet so awful
But charity amt no favor, If one can live
without.
am o wi'lin' and anxious an ready any
To work for a decent llvin' an pay my
honest way;
Fo- can earn my victuals, an more, too.
I'll be bound,
II anyb :dy is wilin' to have me round
Once l was young, an handsome was.
upon my soul
Once my cheeks was roses. my eyes as
black as coal;
And l can't remember. In them days, Of
near1n people say,
For any kind OF reason. that l was in
their way.
faint no use of boastin'. or talkin' over
But many house an home was open then
to me;
Many han some offer had from likely
And nobody ever limited that was a bur-
den then.
| And when to John was married, sure he
was good and smart.
But he and all the neighbors would own 1
For life was all before me. an was young
an strong,
And worked the best that could In
tryin' to get along.
And so we worked together; and life was
hard. but gay,
With now and then a baby for to cheer Us
TIL We s' had lad half half dozen. an all srowed
An went to school. like others, an had
enough to eat.
'em every one;
Worked for EN- summer an winter. Just
as we ought tO've done:
Only perhaps we humored 'em, which some
But every couples chld'rns heap the
best to them.
Strange how much we think Of our blessed
little ones!-
I'd have died for my daughters. ia have
died for my SONS:
And God He made that rule Of love; but
when we're old and gray,
I've noticed 1t sometimes somehow fails
to work the other way.
Strange, another thing; when our boys an
And when. exceptin' Charley. they'd left
US there alone;
When John he nearer an nearer come, an
dearer seemed to be.
The Lord Of Hosts He come one day. an
took him away from me.
Still I was bound to struggle. an never
to cringe or fall
Still worked for Charley. for Charley was
now my all;
And Charley was pretty good to me, with
scarce a word or frown,
TIL at last he went a-courtin'. and brought
a wife from town.
She was somewhat dressy. an hadn't
pleasant smile
She was quite eonceity. and carried heap
But II ever tried to be friends did with
her, ] know;
But she was hard and proud. an couldn't
She had an edication. an that was good
for her;
but when sue tWltteu HE Ou mlHcs wan
carryin' things too fur;
An l told her once, fore company IAN 1t
almost made her sick).
That never swallowed a grammar, or ct
'rithmetc.
So twas only few days before the thing
They was family Of themselves, and an.
other one;
And very little cottage one family will do.
But never have seen house that was
An never could speak to suit her. never
could please her eye.
An 1t made me independent. an then l
didn't try;
But was terribly staggered, an felt 1t like
When Charley turned ag'in me- an told me
could go.
went to live with Susan. but susan's
house was small.
And she was always a-hintin' how snug It
was for us all;
And what with her husbands sisters. and
what with child rn three,
Twas easy to discover that there wasn't
room for me.
An then went to Thomas, the oldest son
For Thomass buildngs'd cover the half OF
an aero lot;
stand their sauce
And Thomas said needn't think was
comm there to boss.
And then wrote to Rebecca. my girl who
lives out West.
And to Isaac, not far from her-some TWEEN.
ty miles at BEST
And one Of 'em said twas too warm there
for anyone SO old,
And tother had an opinion the climate was
too cold.
So they have shirked and sighted me, an
shifted me about
So they have wel-nigh soured me, an
wore my old heart out:
But still I've borne up pretty we'll, an
wasn't much put down.
TIL Charley went to the poormaster, an
put me on the town.
Over the hill to the poorhouse-my chill.
dr'n dear, goOd-by:
Many u night I've watched you when only
God was nigh;
And Godll Judge between us. but I will
alays pray
That you shall never suffer the half I do
to-day.
will NJ. Carleton.
he ne