Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-30
A Poem Requested

To the EdNor OF the Euentr1 Public Ledger.
sir-Pleaso print IN your Peoples Forum
NATHANIEL WILLIAMS.
New York city. December IS, 1920.
THE MASTER rs COMING
They say the Master Ia coming 20 honor the
town today,
And mono can tell at what house or home
the Master will choose to stay:
And 1 thought. as my hoart beat wildly.
what II He should como TO mine
How I would strive to entertain and honor
the guest divine,
And straight I turned to toiling to make my
homo more neat
swept and polished and garnished and
deckcd II with blossoms sweet;
was troubled for fear the Master might
come ere my task was done.
L hastened and worked the faster ana
watched the hurrying sun.
hut right in tho midst of my duties a woman
came to my door.
sho had como to tell me her sorrows and
my comfort and aid to impiore.
And said I cannot listen nor help you ans
today,
have greater things to attend to--and the
ploador turned away.
But soon there came anothor-a cripple.
thin pale ana gray
And said: ''Oh. let me stop and rest awhIe
in your home. I pray!
I have Travelled far since morning, ] am hun
cry. faint and weak,
My heart is full OF misery. and comfort and
help Sock
And said. II am grieved and sorry. but
cannot help you today;
look for a great and noble Guest''-and
the cripple turned away.
And ths day wore onward swiftly and my
task was nearly done,
And a prayer was ever in my heart that the
Master might come.
And thought 1 sprung to meet Him and
serve Hin with utmost care.
When n little child stood by me with form
10 thin and spare.
Sweet but the marks OF teardrops and hts
clothes were tattercd and old.
And a finger was bruised and bleeding and
his little bare feet were cold.
And said. II am sorry for you; you are
soreiy In need OF care.
But cannot stop to give II; you must has
ten on elsewhere"
And at the words a shadow crept over his
biue-veined brow
Some one will feed and clothe you dear,
but am too busy now
~ last tho day was ended and my toll waa
over and done:
Ny house was swept and sarnished, and |
watched In the dusk alone.
Watched. but no footsteps sounded no ono
pa ssed at my gate.
No one entered my cottage door, could only
pray and wait.
waited tin night had deepened and tns
Master had not come;
He had entered some other door. / cried and
giaddened some other home.
Ny labor had been for nothing, and bo" ed
my head and wept;
Ny heart was sore with longing; yet in spite
OF Il all slept.
Then the Master stood before me- and His
face was grave but fair
Three times today came to your door
and craved your pity and care:
Three times you sent Me onward unhelp"d
and uncontrolled.
Anr tho blessing you might have had was
lost and your chance to serve has
fed"
80 Lord. dear Lord. forgive me! How could
I know II was Thee2''
nv very soul was shamed and bowed In tn"
depth OF humility.
And He said: The sin is pardoned. but the
blessing Is lost to thee;
For comforting not tho least OF mine ye have
failed to comfort Me"
Mrs. u. w. g." asks for a Chrstma'
song entitled Tho Babe in the Manner"
II contains these lines:
And I love him. yes. love Him,
That Babe In the manger far away
wv 1. c." asks for the words OF IN"
,ons The World is Upside Down. which
vas played By tho British band when Corn
wallis surrendered at Yorktown.
Blanche T. Crane asks for the remainder
n the poem which contains the foilowiug
tines:
my friend Dan was an actor
A better was never seen;
Tears and smiles were near together,
When he game on the scene"
Mrs. l.. T. sE," asks for the piece or
PROSE The Roman Soldier Of Herculcan"
md a song entitled The Sunset VIII BE
Glorious"
uI. IT ID asks for "A poem entitled ''Th,